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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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04
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20
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
04
20
2024
Just when everybody thought the San Miguel Beermen had learned their lessons from Game 1, the Alaska Aces came out to repeat the same trick and regain the upperhand in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals Sunday before a shocked crowd of over 13,000 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Overcoming a 22-point deficit in their 88-82 win in the series opener, the Aces pulled another rabbit from their hats, making a huge 29-point turnaround in the final half to stun the Beermen, 78-70, once again for a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven title playoff.
“I have no idea (how our guys do that),” said Alaska coach Alex Compton. “It’s all because of them. I’m completely not a genius. I didn’t call magical plays. It’s all their effort.”
What Compton knew was that everything started with their defense.
“Alam ko masyado na akong paulit-ulit. Pasensya na pero lahat talaga nanggagaling sa depensa namin,” he pointed out.
Calvin Abueva was a demon on both ends and just everything clicked for the team as the Aces played perfect basketball in the fourth quarter, overhauling a 46-64 deficit at the end of the third.
Alaska didn’t commit a single error in the final period.
It was a great fourth-quarter siege where the Aces held the Beermen to six points and 1-of-15 field shooting – both franchise worst in the playoffs.
San Miguel coach Leo Austria took full responsibility for their meltdown but said “I can only do so much.”
“I thought we prepared hard, but I’m not the one playing on the court. I kept reminding the guys what to do and we still committed turnovers,” rued Austria.
The Beermen looked poised to going 2-1 up in the series as they shook off a sluggish start and pulled away, 61-40, on mighty runs in the middle quarters spiked by nine three-pointers.
They found their range after misfiring all their first nine three-point attempts and trailing, 8-13, in the opening quarter.
In this game with much twists and turns, the Aces made the biggest one in battering the Beermen, 32-6, in the payoff period.
Abueva seemed to outwork just everyone – the most glaring his 10-8 advantage in rebounds against the entire SMB team in the fourth quarter.
He came through with yet another double-double game with 16 points and 15 rebounds while Jvee Casio and Sonny Thoss added 11 and 10 markers, respectively, for the gritty Alaska bunch that held June Mar Fajardo to 13 points and nine rebounds.
The Aces did a good defensive job on Fajardo, limiting his touches.
So impressive was Alaska’s defense in the final canto with only Alex Cabagnot coming through with a field basket for SMB.
Sonny Thoss, Jvee Casio, Dondon Hontiveros, Cyrus Baguio, Chris Exciminiano and RJ Jazul put in their share in their fourth-quarter coup.
Hontiveros banged in back-to-back three-pointers while Exciminiano had his own clutch plays, including a drive and two charities that eventually sent Alaska ahead at 66-65.
And as in Game One, the Aces proved too composed and determined as they beat out the Beermen in the endgame. (SB)
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