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By Kevin Estrada
SAN JUAN, MM--The Singapore Slingers used their size and broke away in the fourth quarter to make a mincemeat out of the diminuitive Pilipinas Kings, 86-67, in an ASEAN Basketball League action at the San Juan Gym on Saturday night.
Justin Howard punished the Kings with a double-double of 31 markers and 21 boards. Xavier Alexander followed him with 24 and 12 respectively for the visiting Slingers, who move up to 6-2 for solo second in the season standings.
The usual 1-2 punch of AZ Reid and Willie Miller combined for 37 points, but it was not enough for the slumping Kings as they only muster 16 fourth quarter points compared to the Slingers' 31 en route to their fifth consecutive loss.
The Slingers used their size in outrebounding the Kings, 53-37, and punished their opponents' lack of ceiling by pounding 60 points off the paint compared to the 24 of their foes.
After a solid start by the Kings in the first quarter, the Slingers finished it with a four-point blitz in the last 2:15 to turn a 14-15 deficit into a 18-15 lead at the end of the opening canto.
The Slingers matched every Kings' shot and extended the lead to six, 34-28 heading into the halftime break.
The Kings won the third quarter, 23-21, as they reduced what was once an 11-point deficit to four, 55-51 heading into the final period.
But it was all Singapore in the final frame as they unleashed an 11-1 run to start to put the game away. Alexander's jumper in the last 1:35 made gave the Slingers their biggest lead of the game at 20, 82-62, en route to their 3rd straight victory.
The Kings won the third quarter, 23-21, as they reduced what was once an 11-point deficit to four, 55-51 heading into the final period.
But it was all Singapore in the final frame as they unleashed an 11-1 run to start to put the game away. Alexander's jumper in the last 1:35 made gave the Slingers their biggest lead of the game at 20, 82-62, en route to their 3rd straight victory.
Follow him on Twitter: @KevinLEstrada
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