Abueva ready to go as Alaska eyes 2-0 lead vs Meralco

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Alaska Milk workhorse Calvin Abueva is ready to come out and continue to battle – a major boost for the Aces as they go for a commanding 2-0 lead versus the Meralco Bolts in their side of the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup Final Four at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

Game time is at 7 p.m. with the Aces out to press their bid following their 97-94 victory in the opener of the best-of-five series Monday.

An alarming sight for the Aces in Game One was Abueva writhing in pain down on the floor and being helped to their bench in the closing seconds of the match.

The Aces are already badly crippled minus Jvee Casio and Vic Manuel, and may not afford another casualty, especially a player like Abueva – a tremendous energy source who’s a chief contender for the Best Player of the Conference award.

Abueva himself says he’s okay as the Aces pursue the road to redemption following their nightmarish fold-up in the Philippine Cup Finals.

“Na over-stretched lang (I just overstretched my left leg),” said Abueva on his slip.

The Aces badly need the presence of Abueva in their pressing, running and gunning game versus the Meralco side that, on the other hand, thrives on a halfcourt set anchored on hulking import Arinze Onuaku.

The Bolts struck hard at the paint, 52-38, while the Aces made the killing on points, 28-18, off turnovers in the opener of the race-to-three-games series.

The defensive pressure is heavy on Onuaku who draws double- or triple-teaming defense once he gets the ball at the post.

“He has to adjust and he has to be more aggressive on offense. He must figure where the help defense is coming from and find the open spot,” said Meralco veteran forward Reynel Hugnatan.

Hugnatan top scored for the Bolts with 21 points while Onuaku was held to 11 markers.

The Bolts also limited Rob Dozier’s numbers as Onuaku got the Alaska import into early foul-trouble situation.

And thus the contest turned to be a virtual all-Filipino battle with Abueva, RJ Jazul and Cyrus Baguio lifting the Aces to victory in the end.

The locals led the charge as the Aces beat out the Bolts in a duel of spurts that boiled down to a gripping battle at the finish.

Meralco, the playoffs second seed, blew a nine-point lead early in the fourth quarter and eventually yielded the game on a crucial error by Cliff Hodge in the last 5.1 seconds and on a missed three-point shot by Ronjay Buenafe at the buzzer.

But the Aces themselves insist they still have a tough task at hand.

“This will be a tough series. We’ve got to be tough physically and mentally to win. We’re one step closer but they’re going to come back,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton.

Jazul, in a great ride playing as the Alaska lead guard in the absence of the injury-hit Jvee Casio, came through with another solid game, pacing the Aces with 18 points that went with three steals and two assists against two turnovers.

The former Letran stalwart fired seven straight points in their searing rally from 73-82 count and came up with his biggest steal leading to two free throws by Baguio that made it 97-94 with 9.6 ticks to go.

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TAGS: 2016 PBA Commissioner's Cup, alaska aces, Meralco Bolts

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