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ABL: Alapag era begins as Alab battles defending champs in season debut

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ABS-CBN News

Jimmy Alapag has won championships on the club level and knows the game on the Asian stage by heart.Now, his new team hopes his run of success as a player the past two decades will extend to his first head-coaching job.Tanduay Alab Pilipinas opens the 2017-18 ASEAN Basketball League season by taking on defending champion Hong Kong Eastern at Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday.Tip-off is at 8 p.m.<blockquote class="twitter-video" data-lang="en">Witness their first game at the MOA Arena on Nov. 19, Sunday, 8pm, at the MOA Arena, LIVE on S+A, S+A HD, and at <a href="https://t.co/28DAkBrxHy">https://t.co/28DAkBrxHy</a>! <a href="https://t.co/80re1h7Zlp">pic.twitter.com/80re1h7Zlp</a>— ABS-CBN Sports (@abscbnsports) <a href="https://twitter.com/abscbnsports/status/931895825420009472?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 18, 2017</a></blockquote><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script>When he retired late 2016, Alapag found life as a shot-caller on the sidelines, taking up a role in the coaching staff of Meralco and Gilas Pilipinas.At Alab, a club looking for a steady leader to take it far and who is also a big name that can draw more fans to the games, the one-time team captain of the national team finally gets a chance to run his own squad.“I’m excited for the team kasi we’ve been preparing the last 6 weeks and the guys have been diligent in their work ethic and they’re focused,” he said Saturday.<figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameBorder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f8K6HYrllW0" width="560"></iframe></figure>For Alapag, it’s clear who Alab’s focal point is -- reigning league MVP Bobby Ray Parks Jr.With a year under his belt at Alab and several weeks getting to know Alapag in their time together at Gilas, Parks is expected to take his game to another level this season.“He’s definitely the leader of the team. I’m just looking for Ray to continue his progression as a player. I think this past summer with Gilas playing in the Jones Cup and the SEA Games, he showcased a different aspect of his game defensively, his ability to stop guys,” Alapag said.“I’m there to hopefully keep him on that MVP level.”<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/17/17/pressure-on-alab-pilipinas-ahead-of-abl-campaign">READ: Pressure on Alab Pilipinas ahead of ABL campaign</a></li></ul><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/10/18/17/alapag-confident-controversial-import-to-be-embraced-by-pinoy-fans">READ: Alapag confident controversial import to be embraced by Pinoy fans</a></li></ul>The difference between Alab this season compared to last is the presence of championship-savvy veterans in the persons of Dondon Hontiveros and Rico Maierhofer.A combination of their experience plus Parks, former PBA champion import Ivan Johnson at Talk N Text, and a team that retained some of the core that finished in the top 4 last season will go through an immediate acid test when Alapag and his crew battle Hong Kong.The Lions will parade reigning best import Marcus Elliott, naturalized Thai player Tyler Lamb who was often a thorn on Alab’s side last season, and the PBA’s No. 1 draft pick Christian Standhardinger.Hong Kong is bigger and, with less new faces to acclimatize compared to Gilas, could enjoy better chemistry.But Alapag said Standhardinger and co. are the best opponent for Alab to debut against.“It’s a quality team and it’ll be a great early barometer for where we are and what we’re trying to go for this season,” he said.For more sports coverage, visit the ABS-CBN <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com" target="_blank">Sports website.</a>

Alab Pilipinas takes on Christian Standhardinger and defending champion Hong Kong Eastern at MoA Arena on Sunday. Tip-off is at 8 p.m.

Alab Pilipinas takes on Christian Standhardinger and defending champion Hong Kong Eastern at MoA Arena on Sunday. Tip-off is at 8 p.m.