JUDGMENT DAY FOR KINGS, ACES
Five previous times, the Alaska Aces had been in the playoffs facing a team with a twice-to-beat advantage.
Thrice, the Aces forced a do-or-die match, only to die with their upset bid each time.
The Aces hope to finally complete a victory from a tight spot, trying to make history versus the top-seeded Barangay Ginebra Kings in a knockout faceoff in their PBA myDSL PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals matchup at the Cuneta Astrodome Saturday.
Game time is 4 p.m. with the Aces out to repeat their 104-97 conquest of the Kings Wednesday over at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Kings, meanwhile, hope to avoid joining the list of top seeds bungling their twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs – Mobiline in the 1999 All-Filipino Conference, Talk n Text in the 2002 Governors Cup and B-Meg in the 2012 Philippine Cup.
Alaska shocked Ginebra with a dominant performance in their previous match but the Aces expect a big fightback by the Kings in the rubber.
“This is not going to be hard. This will be very hard for both teams,” said Alaska coach Luigi Trillo.
“We know Ginebra is very capable. They are the never-say-die team. They were the best performing team in the eliminations, so it’s 50-50 at this point,” Trillo also said.
“We will have to find ways to match up rebounding. That team can rebound. They will try to bring energy and we need to be ready for that,” Trillo added.
The Kings do ache to get back.
“Na-outhustle kami and also, yung physicality of the game, na-agrabiyado kami dun,” said Ginebra coach Ato Agustin, finding no need to add they would return the favor.
“Maganda yung percentage nila (Aces) sa labas. Imagine, 60 percent sila sa three-point shots? Naka 12-out-of-20 sila. Eh masyadong na-frustrate saka nag-give up yung team so we need to do something,” Agustin also said.
The Aces banked on survival instinct and flared emotion to survive a third straight knockout game following earlier KO duels with Barako Bull then Meralco.
Alaska took the opening quarter at 23-20 and outfought Ginebra the rest of the way as the Aces yet again lived to fight another game.
Trillo is hopeful the two-day break would be enough for them to refresh and be ready for another make-or-break battle versus the Kings. (SB)
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