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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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04
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19
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
04
19
2024
In the eyes of Alaska coach Alex Compton, his team worked like a badly outmoded computer early on.
“Pentium One kami. Ang tagal ng buffer time,” he said, smiling.
And why not the amusement on his face, the Alaska Aces made a big turnaround at the finish, coming at full throttle to turn back the San Miguel Beermen, 88-82, in overtime to take Game One of their PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven titular showdown Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“We could’ve not got to a worse start than that. But after the first quarter, we committed to play defense and we had contributions all around,” said Compton.
“Calvin Abueva was special, Chris Banchero was great, Dondon Hontiveros and Jvee Casio hit big shots and Sonny Thoss was there,” Compton also said.
The Aces never lost heart, hard work and heroes as they overcame a measly five point output and a huge 22-point deficit in the first quarter to snatch the series icebreaker.
Abueva, Banchero, Hontiveros, Casio and Thoss provided the strongest push as the Aces pulled the biggest comeback win in a PBA Finals game in eight years or since Talk n Text battled back from 23 points down in a 95-87 victory over Alaska in Game Three of the 2007 Fiesta Cup Finals.
“We started strong, led by 22 points at the end of the first quarter and then I don’t know what happened,” said SMB coach Leo Austria.
“A major factor was the Alaska bench outscoring ours, 61-20. There’s also their tough, tough defense and they’re not drawing fouls. Si June Mar (Fajardo), mukhang napagod,” Austria also said.
Fajardo grabbed 17 rebounds but was held to 14 points.
San Miguel fell apart as the Aces stepped on the gas, moving up front at 65-62 and staying tough to the finish.
The Aces actually had two chances to win the contest in regulation play but Casio missed a runner and then Hontiveros misfired a three-pointer inside the last five seconds.
The Beermen had their own chance after Chris Lutz grabbed the loose ball with three seconds left to go after Casio’s miss. Alas, Lutz forgot to call a timeout and instead threw a desperation from beyond the midcourt line.
The Aces jumped the gun on the Beermen in OT and went away with the seven-point victory.
“Dapat ayusin ang composure namin,” said Austria.
Abueva outworked everyone in the 29 minutes that he was on the floor, piling up 22 points and 10 rebounds while Banchero, Hontiveros and Casio added at least 13 points each as Alaska scored another come-from-behind victory, similar to their wins in Game One and Game Five of their semis showdown with Rain or Shine.
Well prepared against Alaska’s press, the Beermen took a huge 27-5 lead in the opening quarter on a 52-percent field shooting.
They applied their own pressure defense, forcing the Aces to a couple of errors in a key 16-to-nothing run from an 11-5 count.
But Abueva immediately made big plays upon his return from a three-minute freezer due to a flagrant foul in the second quarter, and the Aces made their own run to draw to within nine at 20-29.
The Alaska starters came back strong in the third period and the Aces came closer at 46-50.
The Aces trailed by only five, 49-54, going into the final canto as they outscored the Beermen, 44-27, in the middle quarters. (SB)
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