PUREFOODS ON TARGET

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A well-rested team up against the Alaska side coming off a tough grind in the last stretch of the elims, the Purefoods Star Hotshots didn’t go wrong as they ran, ran and ran.

The Hotshots were hyperactive, pushing the ball practically all night as they clobbered the badly stunned Aces, 120-86, in Game One of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-three quarterfinals showdown at the Smart Araneta ColiseumFriday night.

Quick on their feet and deadly with their shooting hands, the reigning champs comprehensively beat the Aces to move within a win of a best-of-five semifinal series versus the winner of the Talk ‘N Text-Barako Bull quarterfinals matchup.

Purefoods goes for the clincher Sunday also at the Big Dome.

Head coach Tim Cone actually hinted at coming out strong in this game.

“We’ve worked hard the whole week, so we’re a confident group,” said Cone on the eve of the match.

Coming off a week-long rest, the Hotshots stormed out of the starting block, hardly relaxed and fashioned out the most lopsided game in the tourney.

Before the game, the biggest winning margin in the tourney was when NLEX routed Blackwater 106-79 last February 17.

“I’d be a lot happier if this was Game Two instead of Game One. This one won’t mean anything unless we come out and beat them Sunday,” said Cone.

“We shot the ball extremely well. We got them on their heels and they were not able to recover,” Cone also said. “It looked easy in the end but it took us a lot of hard work to establish the big lead.”

The Hotshots, with a remarkable league season-best 61-percent shooting, pounced on the Aces on all quarters – the hardest at the start, 31-7, and in the last, 32-27, while showing much focus on the task at hand.

“The guys were in great focus because of their respect for Alaska. We just can’t let Alaska get back from 20 points down all the time,” said Cone.

“The guys kept their feet on the pedal, knowing Alaska is good at bouncing back. Their ‘bounce-ability’ is high. We know they’re coming back strong on Sunday,” Cone added.

With each Hotshot playing with great determination, the Aces simply didn’t have a chance.

Alaska seemed to be always a step behind, coming off two tough games against Talk ‘N Text and Barangay Ginebra.

Victories against the Texters and the Kings carried the Aces all the way to a sixth-place finish in the elims, and arranged their quarters showdown with the Hotshots.

Denzel Bowles fired away 20 points to pace the Hotshots that also drew double-digit outputs from James Yap, Mark Barroca, PJ Simon, Marc Pingris and Joe Devance.

“We made great passes, and they kept missing easy shots. We got a finger on their passes, deflecting their passes. It’s one of those nights,” said Cone of the blowout win wherein they recorded 34 assists, the most in a game in the league over the last seven conferences. (SB)

The scores:

PUREFOODS 120 – Bowles 20, Yap 18, Barroca 14, Simon 13, Pingris 11, Devance 10, Pennisi 8, Maliksi 6, Melton 5, Reavis 5, Mallari 4, Gaco 4, Allado 2, Alvarez 0.

ALASKA 86 – James 21, Jazul 12, Manuel 10, Banchero 9, Eman 8, Dela Rosa 6, Casio 6, Abueva 4, Baclao 4, Baguio 2, Exciminiano  2, Dela Cruz 2, Thoss 0, Hontiveros 0.

Quarterscores: 31-7, 54-29, 88-59, 120-86

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