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[av_heading heading=’Standhardinger, HK foil Alab Pilipinas’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=” av-medium-font-size-title=” av-small-font-size-title=” av-mini-font-size-title=” av-medium-font-size=” av-small-font-size=” av-mini-font-size=” admin_preview_bg=”][/av_heading]
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Tuesday, November 21, 2017
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MANILA – In his ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) debut, Christian Standhardinger couldn’t seem to do anything wrong.
Too bad for the crowd at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, the 6-foot-7 center’s outstanding play benefited the opposing team.
Standhardinger finished with 26 points and 14 rebounds as Hong Kong Eastern, the team that signed him prior to being picked first in the PBA draft, defeated Alab Pilipinas 92-89.
To cap his game-long brilliance, he scored the game-winning shot – a jumper that pushed Hong Kong’s lead to 90-86 with 18 seconds left.
After Ray Parks Jr.’s 3-point play made it 90-89, it was Standhardinger who put the last nail on Alab’s coffin with a layup for the final score.
“In a game like that, you can lose your focus, you can kind of lose your emotions, you can get frustrated but we kept working hard and we came out with the victory,” Standhardinger said.
Wearing Hong Kong’s road blue jersey, Standhardinger looked like he was playing again for Gilas, but in this game and this league his loyalty is clearly for club, not country.
“I love the Filipino fans. If they boo me or cheer for me, it’s OK. It’s nothing personal,” Standhardinger said. “It’s all good, it’s all love.”
Alab endured a shaky start as Hong Kong Eastern unleashed its Big 3: reigning ABL Best World Import Marcus Elliott (25 points, 8 rebounds and 9 assists), Tyler Lamb (23 points, 3 three-pointers) and Standhardinger, who dominated on offense.
But as the visitors cooled off, the home team started to hit its target.
From 15 points down, Alab took the driver’s seat early in the fourth quarter 74-73 thanks to a 3-point play by Parks.
A 9-0 run punctuated by a Standhardinger basket gave the lead back to Hong Kong 82-74 before Alab punched back in a rally that was doused by Standhardinger’s two late baskets.
Reggie Okosa led Alab with 28 points and 12 rebounds while Parks and Ivan Johnson added 17 points each. (ABS-CBN Sports)
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