Cebuano standouts Jerick Canada and Patrick Cabahug once again proved their worth as they powered the Hi-Tech Bangkok City to the ASEAN Basketball League title with a come-from-behind 73-67 victory over the Westport Malaysia Dragons last Tuesday night at the Thai-Japanese Stadium in Bangkok.
Cabahug, a sniper of a wingman who once played for the University of the Visayas, topscored for Bangkok with 23 points while Canada, a former ace of Don Bosco, added 18 markers, and was named as the Finals Most Valuable Player.
The victory swept the best-of-three finals series, 2-0, in favor of Hi-Tech.
Bangkok’s imports also held the fort inside as Chris Charles and Steven Thomas each submitted double-doubles. Charles had 15 markers and 19 boards while Thomas chipped 10 points and 11 rebounds.
“This award is for all my teammates in Hi-Tech and also all my family in Cebu for always supporting. We had a slow start in this game but we stayed together and focused to turn things around,” Canada was quoted as saying after the game.
The win was an uphill climb for Bangkok, which trailed for most of the game and by as many as 14, 34-48, early in the third.
But Canada sparked a 16-2 run with a triple to tie the game at 50-all. In the fourth, the momentum swung back and forth until Attaporn Lertmalaiporn tied the match at 62-all with a three-pointer from the corner.