JUSTIN Brownlee's supposed debut ended in disaster for San Miguel Alab Pilipinas as it once again bowed to Kuala Lumpur Dragons, 92-80, Wednesday in the 2020 ASEAN Basketball League at MABA Stadium in Malaysia.
The Ginebra resident import, who was scheduled to make his return to the Philippine club, failed to make the flight as the Jimmy Alapag-mentored crew had to settle with just two World Imports.
That turned out to be the opportunity the host team needed as Will Artino once again got his way with 29 points on an 11-of-19 clip from the field, alongside 10 rebounds and two blocks to lead Kuala Lumpur.
Terrel Davis added 26 points, 10 assists, and four boards, while Amir Bell got 11 points, nine dimes, and five rebounds to improve to an 8-7 win-loss card.
Simeon Lepichev also did his damage with 10 points and six boards, as Chen Weng Ting, who triggered the Dragons' 18-4 run that broke the floodgates from a 20-12 lead to a 38-16 advantage at the 4:44 mark of the second quarter, had seven in the win.
It was a repeat of Kuala Lumpur's dominant 91-63 trumping of Alab last Feb. 4.
Alab gets to retool at home, this time with Brownlee in tow, on Sunday against Saigon Heat at Sta. Rosa Multipurpose Complex in Laguna.
Jordan Heading stepped up in a losing cause for San Miguel Alab Pilipinas with 26 points on an 8-of-11 shooting from beyond the arc, to go with his five rebounds.
Nick King also had 28 points, but 17 of those came in the fourth quarter when the game was already beyond doubt. He also had six boards and four assists in the loss.
Sam Deguara once again found himself in foul trouble as he was held to just four points and eight rebounds, while Jason Brickman recorded only four points, nine assists, and two boards in the defeat that sent the Filipinos down to a 9-6 record.
KL Dragons defenders sandwich Sam Deguara.
The Scores:
KUALA LUMPUR DRAGONS 92 -- Artino 29, Davis 26, Bell 11, Lepichev 11, Ting 7, Chin 4, Tem 3, Loh 1, Wong 0, Tan 0.
SAN MIGUEL ALAB PILIPINAS 80 -- King 28, Heading 26, Domingo 6, Caracut 5, Brickman 4, Deguara 4, Vigil 3, Gray 2, Ganuelas-Rosser 2, Rangel 0.
Quarters: 23-12, 46-32, 77-55, 92-80.
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