ELITE TO POUNCE ON CASIO-LESS ACES
ONE vital player is sure to sit this one out for Alaska while the status of another is uncertain.
Those might just be the kind of openings Blackwater needs to claim another victim Wednesday when they clash at the resumption of the Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
The Aces are bristling to bounce back from an 89-103 loss to Kia last Tuesday, when Casio’s nose inadvertently got injured by LA Revilla.
According to Aces coach Alex Compton, Casio underwent surgery on his nose last Saturday “and won’t be able to play for a while.”
The status of Dondon Hontiveros, who missed the Kia game and also the PBA All-Stars’ Three-Point Shootout contest last Friday to attend to a personal matter also remains a big question mark.
That doesn’t mean Alaska is just going to show up, especially now that the team is scrambling to make it among the top eight teams advancing to the quarterfinals following the 11-game eliminations.
“This Blackwater game is crucial for us,” said Compton while baring he is more concerned with Elite import Marcus Douthit than with the number of players suiting up in his team.
“We all know how good Marcus Douthit is and we really need to come out with sustained defensive energy if we are going to be able to win this game,” added Compton. “I think we all understand that our backs are against the wall.”
In Blackwater’s 115-104 win over Kia 15 days ago, three games after the expansion team’s breakthrough 80-77 victory over San Miguel Beer, Douthit notched 24 points, 13 rebounds and six assists.
More important, his inside presence gave the likes of rookie Brian Heruela and the more veteran Sunday Salvacion and Bambam Gamalinda enough of a confidence boost to come up with crucial baskets or timely plays.
Heruela wound up with a career-high 27 points on top of eight rebounds and seven assists, Salvacion a personal season-high 22 points anchored on 4-for-7 three-point shooting, and Gamalinda 10 points against the Carnival.
Even team senior Eddie Laure came through with clutch baskets in the stretch that fended off Kia’s endgame surge.
But Alaska is definitely different and more disciplined than Kia and has more in its arsenal which should complement Damion James’ averages of 30.67 points and 14.33 rebounds in the three games he has played thus far after replacing DJ Covington.
Sonny Thoss, Vic Manuel, Cyrus Baguio and Calvin Abueva remain in full harness, as well as RJ Jazul, Chris Banchero and Chris Exciminiano, who can all alternate at the playmaking chores. (NC)
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