On Saturday, 4 December 2010, the Westports KL Dragons didn't have a stellar performance, but it was gutsy enough to beat the Brunei Barracudas 95 - 87 in over-time at MABA Stadium, Kuala Lumpur.

Until the over-time period, neither team was able to establish more than a marginal advantage over the other. The lead swung back and forth for 3 and a half periods. Then the pillar of the Dragon's Defense, Nakiea Miller, fouled out with about 5 minutes left in regulation. Once the perennial shoot blocker vacated the floor, the Barracudas wisely started attacking the rim. They eventually pulled ahead of the Dragons, and then held a 3-point edge with 16 seconds remaining in the game. At this juncture the Dragons called timeout to set-up their final play, a 3-point shot by Patrick Jan Manlawe Cabahu. He missed and got fouled in the act with just 1.6 seconds from the final buzzer. Unfazed by the pressure, Cabahu confidently preceded to bury all 3 foul shots to send the game into over-time. The momentum of surviving an 8-count carried the Dragons through OT, and allowed them to finally distance themselves from the Barracudas.

There is a saying, "sometimes it's better to be lucky, than good". The Dragons were a little of both last night. From my line-of-sight, Cabahu's rushed and off-balance 3-point attempt in the closing seconds of the game didn't look likely to go down. Thus fouling the shooter in this particular instance was a huge mistake by the Barracudas, and a lucky break for the Dragons. However, the fact that Cabahu nailed all three foul shots in crunch time was skill.

Besides winning the contest, the Dragons proved to themselves that they could resourcefully do so without one of their key starters for a long stretch of the game. Good teams find a way to pick each other up, when the x's and o's aren't going quite the way they planned. I noticed when Miller fouled out of the game, he was cheering and imploring his Dragon mates to rise to the occasion louder than anyone else in the stadium.

Top performers for the Dragons include Nakiea Miller with 28 points and 12 rebounds, Patrick Jan Manlawe Cabahu scored 16 points (3 of those points with the weight of the game on his shoulders), Alex Hartman contributed with 12 points and 7 assists, while
Angelus Raymundo finished the game with 12 points and 8 rebounds.

Compliments of last night's victory, the Dragons move up from #3 to #2 ahead of the AirAsia Philippine Patriots, who they defeated a week ago. Ironically, it's the same team they play next at Ynares Sports Arena in the Philippines. This should prove to be a firecracker of a game, because of the equal competitive nature of both squads. Also, dare I say that some Philippine Patriots' fans might be looking for some pay-back for the bottle of liquid that was thrown at the head of a Patriots' player during the last meeting between the two teams on the Dragons' home court. Granted, the Dragons organization offered an official apology. The ABL fined the Dragons USD5,000. Now no outside food or drinks are allowed inside MABA Stadium.

The Gatorade I purchased at the game was promptly dispensed into a light-weight flimsy plastic cup minus a quarter of the bottle's content that didn't fit into the cup, but I had to pay for every once none the less. I was not even offered a straw_I suppose it might have been maliciously used to spout liquid or blow darts. However, all this may not be enough to satisfy some angry emotionally charged fans in the Philippines.

If it is any consolation to Philippine Patriots' fans, I would like to break my size 12 Timberland boots off in the ass of the person responsible for making me have to drink my Gatorade out of the crappy strawless cup in the picture.