SINGAPORE - The Singapore Slingers fell 70-73 to defending champions Hi-Tech Bangkok City in the first match of the Asean Basketball League play-off semi-finals on Sunday.
In a scrappy affair with plenty of fouls, the second-seeded Slingers failed to make the most of home-court advantage at the OCBC Arena and were poor from beyond the arc, with only one out of 14 three-point attempts successful.
Slingers import Kris Rosales led the overall scoring with 24 points, while Bangkok's Christien Charles proved to be the bane of the hosts again, leading the third seeds with 22 points.
The two teams will clash again in Bangkok on Friday for the reverse fixture, in a must-win for the Slingers. The first to two wins will advance to the Finals, where the winner of the other semi-final (Westports Malaysia Dragons and Saigon Heat) awaits.