There are no two sweeter words in the ABL: Game 5. That’s exactly what we are getting on Wednesday, as San Miguel Alab Pilipinas hosts Mono Vampire Club at the Sta. Rosa Multipurpose Complex in the Philippines.
After another nail biting finish, Mono Vampire came up big down the clutch again, responding to every threat thrown at them by San Miguel Alab Pilipinas. They would eventually prevail, via a gutsy 88-83 win in front of their loyal fans at Stadium 29 in Bangkok City. Big shots by Mike Singletary, Sam Deguara and Paul Zamar in the end preserved the victory for the home team, as they refused to allow lab to celebrate on their home floor.
Now the series shifts to Sta. Rosa, where San Miguel Alab Pilipinas will look to win in front of their home crowd. It has been a tight series thus far, which makes Game 5 even more compelling. Aside from the blowout finish in overtime of Game 1, no team has won a game by more than 6 points, speaking to how evenly matched both teams are.
Mono Vampire World Import Sam Deguara’s presence was felt once again in a big way, as he was unstoppable in the fourth quarter down the stretch. The big man rumbled for 20 points, 13 rebounds and 5 blocks. He routinely got dunks and layups in the paint, as his team found him in good positions to score. With one remaining game in the season, can Deguara summon the strength to dominate again?
Standing alongside Deguara is Mike Singletary, who played every minute of Game 4, helping make sure to send the series to Game 5. He filled the box score once again with 20 points, 7 rebounds and 8 assists, providing offense and defense on both ends of the floor. Singletary may not have had a good shooting series in terms of percentages, but he has been invaluable all series long for Mono.
Leading the charge for Alab on the other hand is two-time Local MVP Ray Parks, who continues to do the heavy lifting for San Miguel Alab Pilipinas. Once again he was aggressively looking to score, especially down the stretch with Mono Vampire pulling away. With 21 points on 3/6 from beyond the arc, it’s been a showcase for the reigning Local MVP, and he’ll look to wrap up the series with another splendid performance in Game 5.
Justin Brownlee may not be 100% yet, but that hasn’t stopped him from giving his all for San Miguel Alab Pilipinas. Brownlee had a double-double performance of 18 points and 13 rebounds in the Game 4 loss. With Game 5 coming up, Brownlee’s reputation as a clutch scorer will be put to the test one again. Will he be able to deliver?
In fact that is the single biggest question staring at both squads. One of the most competitive and intense ABL Finals series comes down the wire. Both teams are ready to thrill fans in the finale of the ABL season. Will San Miguel Alab Pilipinas get a huge lift from their fans in win the title at home, or will Mono Vampire break hearts and grab the victory?
