It's just one game in a 22-game season, right? You can’t draw any conclusions on how the whole season will play out based on the first game when all the teams are rusty, right? Much better to wait a month or so before deciding, right?  

Hell, no. It's much more fun to be presumptuous and use a ridiculously small sample size to decide right now which teams are hot, and which teams are in trouble. So here are some takeaways from the opening weekend of the 2013 ABL season.

 

The Dragons Can Score…In A Hurry

Saigon Heat fans at Tan Binh Stadium had barely settled into their seats before looking up to discover the visiting Westports Malaysia Dragons had run out to a 20-5 first quarter lead. The Dragons were paced by new import Cedric Bozeman, who shook up the ABL with a 25-point (on 11 of 16 shooting), 14-rebound, 5-assist, 5-steal, 1-turnover scoreline. Fellow American Gavin Edwards, also in his Malaysian debut, finished with 14-points and 13-rebounds. 

But they’re called the Malaysia Dragons for good reason. Local Guganeswaran (better known as Guga) was clutch from beyond the arc, nailing 3 of 4 3-pointers. And Ban Sin Ooi, who wasn’t even in a Dragons uniform last season, chipped in with 9 points. All up, the Malaysians totalled 27 valuable points, in a game that saw Saigon get within one late, before the Dragons pulled away to win 80-70.

Dragons coach Ariel Vanguardia has a balanced offense with options beyond Bozeman and Edwards. Good shooters will draw defenders away from Bozeman and Edwards, creating space for all, and havoc for Malaysia’s opponents. Dragons can go 2-0 on the road with a win over the Chang Thailand Slammers in Bangkok on Friday and (time for a shameless promo) that game is LIVE on ESPN at 8:00 PM Hong Kong time.

 

Having Two Quality Imports Guarantees You Absolutely Nothing

In the first two seasons of the ABL, having two solid imports guaranteed you a playoff spot. But with improved locals and teams becoming more selective over the imports they bring in, it is now all but impossible for two imports to take over a game.

The Heat found this out to their chagrin Saturday night. David Palmer and Dior Lowhorn, in their Heat debut, combined for 57 points. This accounted for over 80% of the Heat offense. By contrast, the Vietnamese players combined for just 1 point. In a league that values depth more with each passing season, that will not get it done. 

Coach Jason Rabedeaux watched what happened to the Heat last year when one player was asked to handle the entire offense. The Heat ended up going 0-7 to start the season. How long with they wait in 2013 before getting more players involved on the offensive end? We’ll know more after the Heat’s game against the Slammers on Wednesday.

 

The Warriors Will Be Fine Without Stanley Pringle

The Beermen-Warriors clash on Friday night in Jakarta was anything but a classic. Both teams missed open shots, clanged jumpers off the rim, bricked at the free-throw and handled the ball like it was a wet bar of soap. The Beermen ultimately prevailed 64-53 in an ugly one at Mahaka Square.

But the Warriors, who announced last week that star guard Stanley Pringle will miss up to 12 weeks with a meniscus injury, answered the question as to how they would handle Pringle’s absence: They are doing it by committee. Veteran Mario Wuysang, fast-improving Jerick Canada and Heat transplant John Smith split time at the point, and managed to battle the Beermen guards to a draw. Those three should be steady enough to give Steve Thomas and Chris Daniels room to roam down low. 

Meanwhile, note the announcement said Stanley Pringle will miss up to 12 weeks. He could be back much sooner. And without a doubt, he provides a dimension Warriors do not have right now.

A quirk in the schedule gives the Warriors a game this coming Saturday in Saigon before heading straight back to Jakarta to meet the Dragons on Tuesday. It’s a key early season test for the defending champs.   

 

The Slingers May End Having A Point Differential of Zero - Again

In one of the oddest stats from the 2012 season, the Jobstreet.com Singapore Slingers scored 1,536 points and allowed 1,536 points, for a point differential of zero.  That’s weird. I mean really weird. Unheard of, in fact.

Anyway, the Slingers win on Sunday at the Singapore Indoor Stadium opens up the possibility of Singapore repeating the statistically improbable again in 2013. The Slingers shot a combined 32% from the floor. But they allowed the Slammers to shoot a near-identical 33%. Singapore had 21 field goals; Thailand had 23. The Slingers grabbed 42 rebounds; the Slammers pulled down 43. Assists, you ask? 6 for the Slingers and…6 for the Slammers. These numbers are scaring me. Let’s move on…

The Slingers pulled out a 6-pt win by going 8 of 12 at the free throw line (Slammers: 4 of 7) and watching Thailand go 0-for-7 from 3-pt land. Singapore lived dangerously in getting a home-opener win and now has a couple of weeks to reset offensively before a rematch with the Slammers on January 25^th in Bangkok. And hey! That game is LIVE on ESPN at 8:00 PM Hong Kong time.

 

Did The Slammers Keep the Receipt for Their Imports?

Justin Howard:  13 pts, 6-of-15 from the floor, 1-of-3 from the free throw line

Michael Earl:  10 pts, 5-of-16 from the floor, 0-of-0 from the free throw line

Uh, no.

 

Don’t Buy Stock in San Miguel Just Yet 

Yes, they have revamped their roster, getting bigger and more experienced. Yes, they have a new coach in Leo Austria who has them playing solid D. And yes, they went into Jakarta and beat the defending league champions. 

 

 

But how do you figure…

 

• ·       A 35% shooting percentage from the floor?
• ·       Going just 3-of-15 (20%) from beyond the arc?
• ·       Making only 13 of 24 (54%) of their free throws?
• ·       Leo Avenido posting a 3-of-12 shooting night he would prefer to forget?
• ·       Letting a Warriors team without their best player hang tough in a game that could have easily been a blowout?

Brian Williams, in a post-game interview, said the ABL have yet to see the Beermen at their best.  After their unconvincing win on Friday, I agree.