KKS has been keeping an eye on the ASEAN Basketball League since its inaugural season a few years back and it's just a joy to watch how the game has elevated from an ugly JV-type of basketball to somewhere along the lines of our very own NCAA (still a farcry from the PBA, let alone the UAAP). The tempo is faster, scoring is up and athletes are coming in from all over Asia to entertain the fans.
This afternoon's ABL Finals Game 1 between the San Miguel Beermen and Indonesia Warriors brought just that-- excitement, entertainment and quality basketball. Yes, there were several ugly dribbling forays here and there courtesy of IW's Stanley Pringle and Jerrick Canada and SMB's Chris Banchero, Leo Avenido and import Duke Crews BUT overall, it was a highly competitive match that was decided only in the final three minutes.