Dejected after losing their ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) crown, Gabe Freeman vows to return for another tour of duty next season as the AirAsia Philippine Patriots try to redeem themselves following their finals defeat at the hands of the Chang Thailand Slammers.
Freeman, who had 16 points and 16 rebounds but went scoreless in the payoff period, said moments after their stunning 75-68 loss to the Slammers on Saturday that he and Steve Thomas are hoping to return with the team for the league’s third season.
“We're going to be ABL champions next year, I guarantee that,” Freeman said outside the team’s locker room at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
The crushing loss could trigger some changes within the team next season after enduring an up-and-down campaign, losing three in a row.
The Patriots started with a 5-0 slate but struggled in the middle of the triple-round elims.
The Patriots appeared headed to force a rubber match in Bangkok on the Feb. 27 when they took a commanding 50-36 lead with over two minutes left in the third period.
But the shooting touch that gave them that lead deserted them in the fourth period where the Slammers, especially import Chris Kuete, waxed hot.
Aside from their horrific shooting, the Patriots also fell into a maze of errors which the Slammers capitalized to complete their fairy tale story after finishing dead last in the six-nation tournament last season.
Benedict Fernandez overcame a scoreless show in Game 1 by hitting 16 point off four triples while Thomas tallied 14 point and 16 boards.
source: mb.com.ph
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