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| ABL |
By Kevin Estrada
SAN JUAN, MM--Defending champion Hi-Tech Bangkok City had to sweat before its endgame composure prevailed against Pilipinas, 71-67, as the ABL season continued at the San Juan Gym on Wednesday night.
Freddie Jones-Goldstein fired 27 points, with Nakorn Jaisanuk helping him with 16 and Chris Charles pulling a double-double of 10 markers and 15 rebounds as Hi-Tech Bangkok bounced back from its weekend loss away to Malaysia to tied with Singapore at the top of the standings with 7-2 card.
Arizona Reid had another monster game for the home side with 26 points but had a little help from the rest of the team, with Nakeia Miller and Mike Gamboa chipped in 12 and nine respectively for the free-falling kings, who blew a three-point third quarter lead en route to their seventh consecutive setback
The Kings surprisingly took initiative at the start of the game, as Reid, Gamboa and Nakiea did their roles to end the first quarter in their favor 23-14, after a Jason Deutchmann triple.
However, Hi-Tech showed its championship pedigree as they only let four second quarter points and subsequently held scoreless in the last 6:45 while launching a 13-0 run of their own to get ahead 33-27 into the halftime break.
The reigning champions continued their domination in the third frame, extending their lead to eleven, 42-31 on a Goldstein jumper.
But the host squad responded on a 18-4 run in the last 5:55 to wrestle back the lead to them 49-46 heading into the final quarter.
However, the the pendulum swung back to Hi-Tech Bangkok's favor as the club benefitted from Pilipinas' misses from the field to take the lead back for them. 69-60 on a Goldstein three with 1:13 left to play.
But Reid and Miller storm the Kings back on a 7-1 run to reduce the deficit to three, 67-70 with 9 ticks to go.
Luck still sided with the defending champion as Reid clanked his game-tying try with four seconds left, and Goldstein iced the game with his split from the line as the visiting Thais repeated their conquest against the free-falling hosts.
However, the the pendulum swung back to Hi-Tech Bangkok's favor as the club benefitted from Pilipinas' misses from the field to take the lead back for them. 69-60 on a Goldstein three with 1:13 left to play.
But Reid and Miller storm the Kings back on a 7-1 run to reduce the deficit to three, 67-70 with 9 ticks to go.
Luck still sided with the defending champion as Reid clanked his game-tying try with four seconds left, and Goldstein iced the game with his split from the line as the visiting Thais repeated their conquest against the free-falling hosts.
Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada
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