Brunei Cup 2007

LG Sakers - Brunei Cup champions
by Rano Iskandar
Sunday, 02 September 2007

What a finale!! The game was only decided with only 5 seconds remaining. Anthony Johnson failed to convert a field goal as LG Sakers deservedly beat Sta Lucia Realtors in a see-saw finale 76-72. Anthony Johnson and Omolon revived a comeback for Sta Lucia Realtors who were trailing 62-54 at the end of the third quarter.



Omolon scored six straight points and gave Sta Lucia Realtors a marginal lead 64-62 with seven minutes remaining. But as LG Sakers overtook the lead once more, Sta Lucia Realtors never came back. LG Sakers continued their three point shooting spree from Seung Min Kim and Park Jihyon. Overall, LG Sakers scored 12 three pointers to Sta Lucia Realtors' only three.

LG Sakers also became the first team to break the Filipino stronghold in the basketball finals (PBA All-Stars won twice in a row). LG Sakers beat Sta Lucia Realtors 76-72 in front of crowd, dominated by Filipino supporters. Congratulations to the new Brunei Cup champions.






SLR battled to the finals
by Rano Iskandar
Sunday, 02 September 2007

Anthony Johnson's late free throw proved to be the deciding factor in a nail-biting finish against Darwin Airport Resort All-Stars. There was a controversial decision against Toby Zaremba wil 7 seconds remaining where he could have converted a destined basket shot but he was called for travelling and the possession was turned to the eventual finalist Sta Lucia Realtors. The game ended with the Filipino team winning by a narrow victory of 62-59.



It was the import Anthony Johnson who made the important shots late in the game with Darwin Airport Resort trailing with 5 points in the final quarter. Johnson's work rate was phenomenal and he bailed out his team SLR as none of his teammates scored in double figures. Darwin Airport Resort All-Stars have themselves to blame for shooting poorly on the free throw line (63%) and that proved costly as well.

For Sta Lucia Realtors, Anthony finished with 21 points while for Darwin Airport Resort All-Stars, Zane Meehl was their top scorer with 18 points followed by Michael Jones with 16 points.

RP Team and Jordan eliminated
by Rano Iskandar
Friday, 31 August 2007

Jordan All-Stars gave their best performance of the tournament but still lost to Sta Lucia Realtors in overtime 77-73. Anthony Johnson proved to be the match winner with his prowess upfront in overtime. He ended up with 16 points while his teammate Omolon finished with 21 points. Jordan's Abdallah Abuqurra scored a game high 25 points.



Darwin Airport Resort All-Stars dominated the game and used their physique to their advantage, winning important rebounds and went on to beat RP Harbour Centre National Team 77-70. Joshua Cohen of the Australian team was superb in the paint and had 17 points. Zane Meehl was again their top scorer with 21 points. An injury worry to Mike Jones who suffered a bad fall on his knee. He could be doubtful for tomorrow's semi-final encounter with group leader Sta Lucia Realtors. RP Harbour Centre National Team top scorer was Eric Dela Cuesta who had a perfect 3 pointer shots (5) and ended up with 21 points.

LG Sakers used their agility to beat Singapore Slingers 82-69. LG Sakers' players contributed well as a team as the scores were evenly distributed. This is a sneak preview of their semi-final encounter as both will face one another again tomorrow night. Will LG Sakers score another victory over Singapore Slingers?

The tournament now comes to the semi-final phase where Darwin Airport Resort All-Stars entertain Sta Lucia Realtors where the Aussies conquered them once. The match will be played at 9pm while the other semifinal (Singapore Slingers vs LG Sakers) will be played at 7pm Saturday.


Realtors topple Harbour-RP, gain semis seat
Friday, August 31, 2007

Sta. Lucia Realty bucked injuries to key players, including import Anthony Johnson, as it humbled RP-Harbour Centre, 79-71, to clinch the first slot in the knockout semifinals of the seventh Brunei Cup basketball tournament at the Hassanal Bolkiah Sports Complex indoor stadium in Brunei Wednesday night.

The Realtors got off to a slow start but seized control in the second quarter and proved steadier at crunch time as they scored their third win in four outings in the elimination round of the six-team, eight-day tourney.

They walloped the Singapore Slingers, 89-79, Saturday and drubbed the LG Sakers of Korea, 75-66, Tuesday.



Johnson collected 35 points and 14 rebounds in a splendid showing against the Koreans but got hurt along the way.

Thus, the former Coca-Cola reinforcement played limited minutes against RP-Harbour Centre and is likely to sit out their last game in the eliminations against the Jordan All-Stars Saturday.

Sta. Lucia top honcho Buddy Encarnado said new recruit Ryan Reyes is also a doubtful starter against Jordan.

But win or lose against the Jordanians, the Realtors are assured of slot in the knockout semis in this tourney won the last two years by the all-pro RP team.

Sliding to 1-2, the RP-Harbour Centre squad, priming up for the coming SEA Games in Thailand, needs to win its last two games against the Singapore Slingers and the Darwin All Stars to salvage a semis seat.



Encarnado prefers to face LG Sakers in the semis, saying they would have tougher time matching up with the tall Darwin and Singapore squads.

“The Australians and the Singapore team are much taller than us and they also have good imports. We’re about as tall as the Koreans,” said Encarnado. – Nelson Beltran


LG Sakers suffered first defeat
by Rano Iskandar
Tuesday, 28 August 2007

Sta. Lucia bounced back from defeat and beat LG Sakers in a pulsating match which gave LG Sakers (2-1) their first lost of the tournament. The result meant that four teams are now level on 5 points a piece which Jordan All-Stars yet to register their first win of the tournament. The Philippines team led from start to the finish though the Koreans came back fighting late in the game.

In terms of field goal percentage, both teams were on par. It was the Realtors' three point range shots that made the difference. The Phillipine team had 11 successful three pointers (5 from Paolo Mendoza and 5 from Anthony Johnson) compared to LG Sakers' 6. Cho Sang Hyun of LG Sakers who is known for his 3-point range, had a disappointing night with only 4 points and failed to register a 3 point shot throughout the game.



Calvin Warner and Odartey Blankson, LG Sakers' import players, whom combined 53 points against RP Harbour Centre National Team, only had 16 points between them. Realtors' defence played excellent in containing the Korean imports. By half-time, Sta. Lucia Realtors led LG Sakers 26-43.

LG Sakers found back their rhythm in the second half and they managed to close the gap to 8 points. However, Realtors continued to pile in three pointers and distant themselves from LG Sakers through Paolo Gonzalez and Anthony Johnson. The Realtors import Johnson scored a tournament high 35 points and finished with a high 14 rebounds.

Final score: Sta Lucia Realtors 75 LG Sakers 66

Top scorers:

Sta Lucia Realtors: Anthony Johnson 35 points, Paolo Gonzalez 17
LG Sakers: Lee Hyun Min 14 points, Calvin Warner 10 points, Park Jihyon 10 points.





LG Sakers outclass RP Team
by Rano Iskandar
Tuesday, 28 August 2007

The second game of the night was a close match-up between LG Sakers and RP Harbour Centre National Team. However, it was the Koreans who were sharper in the shooting department. The Korean imports Odartey Blankson and Calvin Warner were outstanding with a combined score of 53 points. RP Team simply couldn't match the sheer class of LG Sakers.

In the first half, both teams were in good form. RP Team was trailing for most of the match and only had a momentum lead with Jason Castro scored a three point play to make it 40-37 lead. That play brought the crowd on their feet. However, the Filipinos found it difficult to close down the Korean imports. RP Team also committed unnecessary fouls and allowed the LG Sakers to shoot from the free throw line.



There was a minor scuffle between both teams after Cho Sang-Hyun of LG Sakers claimed to be elbowed on his torso by a RP Team player. The match officials handled the situation well and the game continued with the momentum shifting to the Koreans. Warner scored five straight points to end the half 51-42 to the LG Sakers.

The half-time talk didn't give RP Team much boost. Alan Salangsang, RP Team's captain, had a relatively quiet game and he only notched 10 points last night. Blankson scored a magnificient reverse basket, an indication for LG Sakers' confidence. The Koreans used their speed to good use and tore RP Team's defence apart. By end of the third quarter, the Koreans ahd a 20 point cushion.



Warner stepped up late in the final quarter and he slam dunk his way to make the scoreline at 91-66. He also became the first player to break the century mark of the tournament. Castro and Gaco were RP Team's main scorers. The game ended with 15 point victory for LG Sakers despite RP Team playing their best quarter of the game.

Final score: LG Sakers 102 RP Harbour Centre National Team 87

Top scorers:
LG Sakers: Calvin Warner 32 points, Odartey Blankson 21 points, Song Chang Moo 14 points.
RP Team: Jason Castro 19 points, Jerwin Gaco 12 points.

[What Edmundo Baculi said]: We were outmatched and outclassed and their imports (Blankson and Warner) made most of the points. Like I said before, we can be successful even if we lose. It's our first loss but we'll do better. It's good that we are competing in an international level. Of course, a win would be a bonus. As Salangsang, he didn't score many points probably because he was being scouted by the Koreans. His shots didn't connect. Anyway, I don't want to give excuses. We lost to a better team.

Darwin All-Stars 82 Sta. Lucia Realtors 67
by Rano Iskandar
Sunday, 26 August 2007

The trio of Tom Garlepp, Michael Jones and David Donaldson destroyed Sta Lucia Realtors at the second day of the 7th Brunei Cup. Darwin All-Stars picked their first win of the tournament after coming off a loss against LG Sakers last Saturday. It was Sta. Lucia Realtors' first loss of the tournament despite a 24 point game effort by their import player Anthony Johnson whom has been their star player for the past two games.

Before the end of the first half, Teodorico Fernandez was upset with the referee Fujigaki Yu for some bad calls which weren't being entertained. However, it was evident that Darwin Airport Resort All-Stars were the better side and Don Sheppard, the head coach of DAR All-Stars, was true to his words when he claimed that his team is stronger than last year's.



Marcus Ch'ng, the captain of Darwin Airport Resort All-Stars, was influential in most of Darwin All-Stars' attack and he scored 8 points. Zane Meehl had a quiet game to his standard (7 points) but Mike Jones was in superb form with a high percentage field goal and he finished with 16 points, 8 rebounds and 3 steals.

As for Sta. Lucia Realtors, they relied too much on Anthony Johnson to score. At one stage, they only scored 1 point in seven minutes, much to the credit of Darwin All-Stars stubborn defence. The Philippine club scored a disappointing 23 points in the first half. That became the turning point of the game as Darwin All-Stars wrapped up the victory with ease despite a late surge. Darwin All-Stars once led as much as 21 points in the third period.



What Don Sheppard said: We had a good practice session in the morning and it paid off. The defence is getting better and excellent. I told my players at half time to just maintain the lead. Tom Garlepp was good, Mike Jones played very well and Marcus Ch'ng set up most of the plays as expected. He has a minor sore knee but Marcus is always a fighter. He will be playing all matches definitely.



RP National Team 89 Jordan All-Stars 79
by Rano Iskandar
Sunday, 26 August 2007

RP Team, a crowd favourite, lived up to their expectations as they overpowered Jordan All-Stars in their first game of the 7th Brunie Cup. The Middle East team were simply no match for the agility of the RP Team. Jordan All-Stars committed several turnovers in which RP Team capitalised.

In the first half, it ended 33-48 to RP Team. Alan Salangsang was RP Team's key player, scoring outside the arc on a number of occasion. Ian Coronel was also pivotal to RP Team's offense with his steals and key assists. Jordan All-Stars relied on their experience players - Ali Jamal and Abdullah Abuqqura - who both scored 37 points between them. Jordan All-Stars did experience a good spell but it was shortlived. RP Team carried their momentum and drew away from their opponents.



It was a similar gameplay in the second half with RP Team keeping Jordan All-Stars on the back foot. As RP team created many scoring opportunities, their defence was tough to crack. Robert Sanz had a better second half and finished with 14 points. He had one key steal which led to a 3 point shot. Jordan All-Stars had a 7-0 run in the third quarter, showing signs of a comeback, but RP team stepped up the tempo. Salangsang lifted the spirit further with a 2 point jump shot right on the buzzer to signal the end of the third quarter (47-68).

The final quarter was Jordan All-Stars and it was the best scoring quarter as they scored 32 points. But the damage was done earlier on. Lawrence Bonus had a quiet night (2 blocks and 2 steal) but he brought the crowd to a standing ovation as he slam dunk his only basket of the game to end the game. Despite the late surge, RP Team beat Jordan All-Stars 89-79.



RP Harbour Centre National Team 89 Jordan All-Stars 79

Top Scorers:

RP Team: Alan Salangsang 22 points, Robert Sanz 14 points
Jordan All-Stars: Abdallah Abuqqura 19 points, Ali Jamal Ali Zaghab 18 points.

What Edmundo Baculi (coach of RP team) said: It was the speed and the shooting that was the difference. We're not tall so we compensate with our speed. Even though we won, it's not over yet and our aim is to reach top four. We were able to outrun our opponents. For improvement, if we could increase our heights, it will be an dvantage *jokes* We will focus more on defence to make up for our lack of height. I'm happy with our captain (Alan Salangsang) who was our top scorer but also credit to the other players.



What Haitham Qahtan Luttfi (assistant coach of Jordan All-Stars) said: I'm disappointed with the match today. It's a new group and a new experience because it's our first competitive match. We have trained almost three months, coming into the Brunei Cup. Everything worked well in practice but our execution during the game was poor. I know for sure our team can perform better than this. The players are not themselves and they need to overcome their mistakes. We had too many turnovers in the game. Because it's our first official game, the young lads were under pressure.

Sta. Lucia Realtors 89, Singapore Slingers 79
by Rano Iskandar
Sunday, 26 August 2007



Rod Grizzard and Co. couldn't overcome a resilient Philippines basketball team as Singapore Slingers went off to a bad start with a 89-79 loss to Sta. Lucia Realtors. Things were smooth sailing for Australian NBL team as they raced to 12-2 early in the first quarter. However, they suffered some basket drought in the next seven minutes as Sta. Lucia Realtors slowly clawed back and finished the first quarter with a 22-13 lead, inspired by Dennis "The Menace" Espino. It was a class act by Anthony Johnson of Sta. Lucia Realtors as he made up for his misstime effort on the postman dunk with a customary dunk late in the first quarter.

However, it was a different story in the second quarter. Singapore Slingers came back fighting and reduced the gap to only just one point by half (39-40). Mike Helms showed why he was Slingers' MVP last season in the Australian National Basketball League. He scored vital baskets to bring Slingers back into the game.

The third quarter was a close affair. Nelbert Omolon and Anthony Johnson of Sta. Lucia Realtors combined well and scored most of Realtors' points. Rod Grizzard, a former NBA player from the Washington Wizards, had key steals and Fitzgerald failed to level the scores, after a missed jump shot, to end the third quarter (62-64).

It was a quarter to be forgotten by Benjamine Knight of Singapore Slingers. Despite contributing key plays and scoring, he was the first victim of being fouled out. Omolon produced the biggest cheer of the night when Omolon blocked Knight's field goal attempt. Johnson and Omolon combined brilliantly and Singapore Slingers simply had no answer. Knight was fouled out with three minutes remaining. He finished with 16 points.



Singapore Slingers were left with a daunting task of scoring five points in less than a minute. However, their tactics to foul Ryan Reyes proved worthless as he successfully converted four free throws and added to Slingers' misery when he stole possession and scored to make it a 89-79 victory over Singapore Slingers.

Teodorico Fernandez was delighted with Sta. Lucia Realtors. When asked about the difference between both sides, he pointed out the aggression in their defence. He was quite surprised to have beating a top side by 10 points and he regards Singapore Slingers as a very strong team. He had faith in his import player, Anthony Johnson, but also gave credit to his players such as Mendoza, Omolon, Aquino and all his players for playing well last night. Their next match will be against Darwin Airport Resort All-Stars and Fernandez is aware of the potential threat of Darwin Airport Resort All-Stars. The match will be at 3:30pm Sunday, 26th August.

Top scorers:

Sta. Lucia Realtors: Anthony Johnson 22 points, Nelbert Omolon 18 points, Ryan Reyes 14 points
Singapore Slingers: Rod Grizzard 16 points, Ben Knight 16 points, Mike Helms 13 points