Alab rallies past Macau, spoils McKinney’s 50-point night

MANILA, Philippines – San Miguel Alab Pilipinas yanked a painful thorn in its side after a 101-96 comeback win over the Macau Black Bears in the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) at the FilOil Flying V Centre on Friday, March 8.

The defending champs’ Big 3 all showed up when they were needed most, led by 7-foot-3 banger PJ Ramos who dropped 29 points and 13 rebounds. 

Alab extended its league-leading record to 18-4 while avenging its 103-116 loss against Macau last February 27 – the Philippine club’s worst defeat so far in the league’s 9th season.

Macau fell to 12-10, tied at 4th place with Saigon Heat. 

Renaldo Balkman chipped in 26 markers, 11 boards and 8 assists while two-time Local MVP Ray Parks added 22 points on a 7-of-10 (70%) shooting on top of 5 rebounds and 5 dimes 

Their combined efforts wasted an impressive 50-point night from Fil-Am guard Mikh McKinney – the most points since Malaysia’s Marcus Marshall dropped 60 in 2017.

Fellow import Ryan Watkins churned out a 25-point, 14-board double-double in the tough loss. 

From a 10-point deficit, 62-72, Alab leaned on Parks, who sparked a quarter-ending 16-4 run spiked by a pair of threes to gain a slight 78-76 edge after 3 quarters.

Ramos then resorted to bullying tactics down low in the 4th to create a seven-point difference, 87-80, with 6:36 left.

Parks piled on to the Black Bears’ late woes with one more clutch trey, 93-86, at the 4:26 mark. 

McKinney, however, would not let up and put Macau back within 4, 91-95, after his 50th point off an and-one floater at the 2:45 mark.

Still, Ramos fought back and sealed the deal with one more post bucket in the last 1:49 for the eight-point, 99-91 lead. – Rappler.com