Round 9: HK Eastern lose to Heat

Here is the last round review presented by Job Market.

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of Hong Kong HK Eastern (7-3) in Hong Kong on Sunday night. Hosts were defeated by Vietnamese Heat (8-2) 84-71. It was a key game for the top position in the league. American power forward Jeremy Combs (201-1995, college: Texas Southern) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 23 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners and his fellow American import guard Evan Gilyard II (178-1998, college: UMKC) chipped in 22 points and 5 assists. The best for the losing side was American guard ODarien Bassett (187-1986, college: Troy) with 32 points. Heat have a solid series of four victories in a row. Defending Vietnamese champion keeps a position of league leader, which they share with NS Matrix. HK Eastern at the other side dropped to the third place with three games lost. Heat is looking forward to face league's second-placed NS Matrix in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. HK Eastern will play against Valientes in Zamboanga City and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in Macau was also worth to mention about. Fourth ranked Singapore Singapore S. (6-4) played at the court of 5th ranked Macau Macau (4-6). Singapore S. managed to secure a 7-point victory 89-82. Americans were the main players on the court. Center CJ Gettys (213-1994, college: Rutgers, agency: Haylett Sports) nailed a double-double by scoring 25 points, 16 rebounds and 5 assists for the winning side and Kentrell Barkley accounted for 23 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Isaiah Wade (201-1998, college: UCO) came up with a double-double by scoring 24 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks for Macau in the defeat. Singapore S. maintains fourth place with 6-4 record. Macau at the other side dropped to the sixth position with six games lost. Singapore S. will play against Louvre S. (#7) in Surabaya in the next round. Macau will play on the road against Louvre S. in Surabaya and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
The game in Bangkok was also quite interesting. Sixth ranked Filipino Valientes (5-5) played at the court of 8th ranked Thailand Tigers (1-10). Valientes managed to secure a 4-point victory 84-80 on Monday. Americans were the main players on the court also this time. The best player for the winners was Antonio Hester who had a double-double by scoring 36 points (!!!) and 13 rebounds. Valientes' coach used entire bench in such tough game. At the other side the best for losing team was William Vedder who recorded a double-double by scoring 23 points and 18 rebounds. Valientes moved-up to fifth place. Tigers lost third consecutive game. They stay at the bottom position with ten games lost. Valientes will meet at home higher ranked HK Eastern (#3) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Tigers will have a break next round.

In the last game of round 9 bottom-ranked Tigers were destroyed by NS Matrix on the opponent's court 117-78.

HK Eastern - Saigon Heat 71-84

The most crucial game of the last round was a loss of Hong Kong HK Eastern (7-3) in Hong Kong on Sunday night. Hosts were defeated by Vietnamese Heat (8-2) 84-71. It was a key game for the top position in the league. American power forward Jeremy Combs (201-1995, college: Texas Southern) stepped up with a double-double by scoring 23 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists for the winners and his fellow American import guard Evan Gilyard II (178-1998, college: UMKC) chipped in 22 points and 5 assists. Four Heat players scored in double figures. The best for the losing side was American guard ODarien Bassett (187-1986, college: Troy) with 32 points and Canadian center Chris McLaughlin (208, college: Victoria) produced a double-double by scoring 11 points, 14 rebounds and 4 assists. Heat have a solid series of four victories in a row. Defending Vietnamese champion keeps a position of league leader, which they share with NS Matrix. HK Eastern at the other side dropped to the third place with three games lost. Heat is looking forward to face league's second-placed NS Matrix in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. HK Eastern will play against Valientes in Zamboanga City and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
HK Eastern: O.Bassett 32+4reb+3ast, C.McLaughlin 11+14reb+4ast, D.Gilbert 10+4reb+5ast, T.Trocha-Morelos 9+10reb+2ast, L.Ka-Hin 6+2reb+1ast, S.Chan 3+1reb
Saigon Heat: J.Combs 23+11reb+5ast, E.Gilyard II 22+2reb+5ast, J.Holder 16+3reb, N.Vinh Phuc 11+5reb, H.Thomas 6+9reb+2ast, K.Dang Tran 6+1reb+1ast

NS Matrix - Tigers 117-78

Very expected game when 8th ranked Thailand Tigers (1-10) were crushed on the road by second ranked Malaysian NS Matrix (8-2) 117-78 on Sunday. NS Matrix made 16-of-19 free shots (84.2 percent) during the game. NS Matrix outrebounded Tigers 52-22 including a 42-19 advantage in defensive rebounds. They looked well-organized offensively handing out 24 assists. Americans were the main players on the court also this time. The best player for the winners was center Amir Williams (211-1992, college: Ohio St.) who had a double-double by scoring 21 points and 11 rebounds. Center Tevin Glass (203-1994, college: ETSU) chipped in 18 points, 7 rebounds and 5 assists. Five NS Matrix players scored in double figures. NS Matrix's coach felt very confident that he used entire bench which allowed the starters a little rest for the next games. At the other side the best for losing team was guard Augustus Stone (193, college: St.Thomas, FL) who recorded 30 points and William Vedder (204-1997, college: Tusculum) added 13 points and 9 rebounds respectively. NS Matrix have an impressive series of seven victories in a row. Defending Malaysian champion keeps a position of league leader, which they share with Saigon Heat. Tigers lost third consecutive game. They stay at the bottom place with ten games lost. NS Matrix will meet at home league's leader Heat in the next round and it will be for sure the game of the week. Tigers will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Tigers: A.Stone 30+3reb+3ast, W.Vedder 13+9reb+1ast, D.Kittitep 8+1reb+1ast, A.Charansarn 8+1reb+1ast, J.Nouchanthavong 7+3reb+1ast, B.Natthaphat 7+2reb
NS Matrix: A.Williams 21+11reb+3ast, C.Ting 20+6reb+2ast, T.Glass 18+7reb+5ast, I.Williams 16+5reb+1ast, D.Wee Yiang 13+1reb, L.Chee-Wei 8+1reb+2ast

Macau - Singapore S. 82-89

The game in Macau was also worth to mention about. Fourth ranked Singapore Singapore S. (6-4) played at the court of 5th ranked Macau Macau (4-6). Singapore S. managed to secure a 7-point victory 89-82. Singapore S. dominated down low during the game scoring 66 of its points in the paint compared to Macau's 40. They outrebounded Macau 54-29 including a 19-8 advantage in offensive rebounds. Americans were the main players on the court. Center CJ Gettys (213-1994, college: Rutgers, agency: Haylett Sports) nailed a double-double by scoring 25 points, 16 rebounds and 5 assists for the winning side and swingman Kentrell Barkley (195-1996, college: ECU, agency: Haylett Sports) accounted for 23 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. Isaiah Wade (201-1998, college: UCO) came up with a double-double by scoring 24 points, 14 rebounds and 4 blocks and DeQuan Abrom (188-1996, college: Belm.Abbey) added 17 points and 7 assists respectively for Macau in the defeat. Five Singapore S. and four Macau players scored in double figures. Singapore S. maintains fourth place with 6-4 record. Macau at the other side dropped to the sixth position with six games lost. Singapore S. will play against Louvre S. (#7) in Surabaya in the next round. Macau will play on the road against Louvre S. in Surabaya and it may be a tough game between close rivals.
Top scorers:
Macau: I.Wade 24+14reb+2ast, D.Abrom 17+2reb+7ast, D.Hamilton 14+6reb, C.Pong 11+2reb+1ast, J.Leung 9+4reb+7ast, I.Kei Long 7+1reb+3ast
Singapore S.: C.Gettys 25+16reb+5ast, K.Barkley 23+11reb+5ast, X.Alexander 15+9reb+6ast, M.Jun-Hao 14+4reb, D.Goh 10+6reb+2ast, L.Liew 2+2reb

Tigers - Zamboanga 80-84

The game in Bangkok was also quite interesting. Sixth ranked Filipino Valientes (5-5) played at the court of 8th ranked Thailand Tigers (1-10). Valientes managed to secure a 4-point victory 84-80 on Monday. Americans were the main players on the court also this time. The best player for the winners was Antonio Hester (199-1990, college: Mobile, AL, agency: Rigorer Korea Agency) who had a double-double by scoring 36 points (!!!) and 13 rebounds. Point guard Mario Chalmers (188-1986, college: Kansas) chipped in 11 points and 4 assists. Hester is a former Eurobasket Summer League player, which is considered top international summer league in the market. Valientes' coach used entire bench in such tough game. At the other side the best for losing team was William Vedder (204-1997, college: Tusculum) who recorded a double-double by scoring 23 points and 18 rebounds and guard Augustus Stone (193, college: St.Thomas, FL) added 22 points respectively. Four Tigers players scored in double figures. Valientes moved-up to fifth place. Tigers lost third consecutive game. They stay at the bottom position with ten games lost. Valientes will meet at home higher ranked HK Eastern (#3) in the next round and it will be quite challenging to get another victory. Tigers will have a break next round.
Top scorers:
Tigers: W.Vedder 23+18reb+2ast, A.Stone 22+1reb+2ast, B.Natthaphat 18+4reb+1ast, J.Nouchanthavong 10+2reb+2ast, D.Kittitep 7+3reb, E.Emmanuel Chinedu 0
Zamboanga: A.Hester 36+13reb+2ast, M.Chalmers 11+2reb+4ast, S.Mohamed 10+5reb, K.James 7+4reb+2ast, K.Carino 7+8reb+2ast, R.Lingganay 7+2reb



Tags : JEREMY COMBS, SAIGON HEAT, ASEAN LEAGUE BASKETBALL