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ALASKA ENTERS FIRST PBA FINALS IN POST-TIM CONE ERA
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This one’s so sweet for Alaska Milk – a first breakthrough in its post-Tim Cone era against their former coach himself.
Eric Dozier and Calvin Abueva struggled almost throughout but delivered in the crunch as the Aces outfought the San Mig Coffee Mixers, 83-78, to nail the first berth in the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals before another mammoth crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Saturday night
Without a single field goal through the game’s first 46 minutes, Dozier came through with two giant ones in the last two minutes.
Held to two points in the first three quarters, Abueva, on the other hand, erupted for 12 in the payoff period, including two treys in a mighty run Alaska unleashed to get back into the game.
Collectively, the Aces made a giant effort to overcome a long scoreless spell in the second quarter and go on to gain a first finals appearance since their 2010 Fiesta Conference title conquest.
In their fifth conference after their breakup with Cone, the Aces do the Last Dance versus the winner of the Ginebra-Talk n Text duel Sunday.
The best-of-five title playoff starts Wednesday also at the Big Dome.
A new champion will be crowned with the Aces dethroning the Mixers.
“It’s a grueling series. It’s a grind. And we really had to focus on this one,” said coach Luigi Trillo, prevailing in a his student-teacher showdown with Cone.
“This is huge but we’re not yet done. We look forward to playing in the finals,” said Trillo, making the finals in only his third conference as PBA head coach.
Trillo and Cone gave each other a warm embrace after the well-fought game and well-fought series.
“Not taking anything away from our team, James (Yap) got injured and he’s a big loss to them,” said Trillo as they finished off San Mig in four games in their best-of-five series.
Before the series, Alaska had lost all previous eight matchups with its former coach.
Struggling with a sore back from the late stage of the elimination round, Yap sat down Game Four.
Still, the Mixers made a good run, leading by a comfortable 14-point margin at the half, 48-34, after keeping the Aces scoreless in the last 8:25 of the second quarter.
But the Aces would show their toughness and resiliency.
Abueva was a real beast, starring in a decisive 16-6 tear in the fourth quarter that shoved the Aces ahead at 76-73.
At winning time, Dozier would take over, making a three-pointer, a layup and a steal, and the Aces went on to end their pursuit of a return trip to the finals.
Dozier canned his first field goal on a heave from beyond the arc with the shot clock winding down, giving Alaska a four-point lead at 80-76 with time down to 2:02.
The hard-working Alaska reinforcement himself sealed their win as he finished on a layup a three-on-one transition play, making it 82-78 with a minute left to play.
San Mig Coffee sat on a 48-34 cushion at the half after holding Alaska to 0-of-14 field shooting and forced the Aces to six turnovers in the last 8:25 of the second quarter.
The Mixers went on a 19-0 roll on that Alaska slump, tying the franchise’s second all-time longest unanswered run. The team’s best run ever was 20-0 registered in its 102-100 win over Rain or Shine in Nov. 25, 2011.
Alaska broke its silence as Cyrus Baguio scored the first basket in the second half. (SB)
The scores:
ALASKA 83 – Baguio 16, Casio 15, Abueva 14, Thoss 9, Dela Cruz 9, Espinas 7, Dozier 6, Hontiveros 5, Jazul 2, Belasco 0.
SAN MIG COFFEE 78 – Bowles 23, Devance 18, Barroca 14, Simon 10, Pingris 5, Mallari 3, Reavis 3, Najorda 2, Gonzales 0, De Ocampo 0.
Quarterscores: 25-24, 34-48, 60-64, 83-78
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