ALASKA MAKES IT TO QF, AVOIDS TWICE-TO-BEAT DISADVANTAGE
With a decisive win over Barangay Ginebra at the close of the eliminations, Alaska sneaked in all the way to sixth place, arranging a PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-three quarterfinals showdown with old rival Purefoods Star.
Behind a crucial 7-2 closing flurry, Alaska frustrated Ginebra and its huge throng at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, carving out a 104-98 victory that sent the Barako Bull Energy and the Kings down to seventh and eighth, respectively.
At the end of the single round robin elims and upon the application of the quotient tiebreak system, Rain or Shine, Talk n Text, Purefoods, NLEX, Meralco, Alaska, Barako Bull and Ginebra finished in that order.
Missing the playoffs are Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beer, GlobalPort and expansion teams Kia and Blackwater.
It’s Rain or Shine versus Ginebra and Talk Text opposite Barako Bull with the higher seeds enjoying a twice-to-beat incentive.
The post-elims play begins Friday also at the Big Dome with the openers of the best-of-three duels pitting NLEX against Meralco and Alaska opposite Purefoods.
Dondon Hontiveros and Damion James conspiring for a big play in the last four seconds enabled the Aces to avoid a Final 8 pairing against a team with a twice-to-beat advantage.
If not for that play, Barako Bull would have taken sixth spot.
“I’m grateful we made the playoff, even making the best-of-three series instead of playing an opponent with a twice-to-beat advantage,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton.
“It’s an incredible road ahead, but what’s important is that our guys gave us life,” Compton added.
Alaska actually squandered a 10-point lead in the last seven minutes of play but recovered and survived the quirks of quotient also on the heroics of Calvin Abueva.
Trailing most of the way, the Kings raced ahead at 90-89 on an 11-to-nothing attack by Josh Urbiztondo, LA Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar, Mike Dunigan and Mac Baracael.
Aguilar provided a big boost in the second half but failed to finish the game after sustaining an ankle sprain with 5:04 left to play.
Still, the Kings engaged the Aces in a battle until losing firepower in the homestretch, making only two points courtesy of Greg Slaughter in the last 1:30 of play.
It was a won ball game at 102-98 with 6.4 seconds to go, but the Aces still went for one final basket that carried them all the way to the Top Six.
“Dondon made a great pass and Damion completed it,” said Compton.
With that, James ended a sterling performance with 29 points, 14 rebounds and three steals.
Cyrus Baguio, Abueva and RJ Jazul added double-digit outputs with Hontiveros, Chris Banchero, Sonny Thoss and Jvee Casio also dishing significant help. (SB)
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