ALASKA POSTS BIGGEST COMEBACK WIN IN CONFERENCE
It’s not how you start, but how you finish.
Falling behind by 22 at the half, Alaska picked up its slack and pulled the rug from under Barako Bull to snatch its seventh win with a 101-95 victory in the Petron Saturday Special of the 2015 PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Aces’ third straight formalized a ninth straight conference playoffs appearance for the Alaska franchise while moving it one win away from a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
The loss meanwhile handed the Energy their first back-to-back defeats in the conference, having also lost Kia three days earlier. They dropped to third overall in the standings after being all alone on top prior to those two games.
“I feel like this game is like a tale of two cities,” said Aces head coach Alex Compton. “It was really ugly in the first half. But I told the guys we’re not giving up. I don’t care about the result anymore but our team must be the team to show out there. The guys all did it.”
After trailing 62-40 at the half, Alaska came out swinging in the third period, doubling the Energy’s output 32-16 to close the gap to just six, 78-72. That momentum continued in the fourth as Barako Bull looked gassed against the rampaging Aces
Romeo Travis spurred Alaska’s second half onslaught, recording 23 points, 12 coming in the third, alongside 14 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block to push Alaska up to 7-2, tied with San Miguel at the top of the standings.
He also made life miserable for Barako Bull import Liam McMorrow in the second half, limiting him to a solitary point in the payoff period.
“Romeo didn’t completely shut McMorrow down, but he pretty much stopped him,” said Compton of his import who has now been named Best Player of the Game in six of the Aces’ seven wins so far by the Sports TV5 panel.
Rookie Chris Banchero came off the bench to contribute a career-high 20 markers, as well as giving the Aces the go-ahead basket at the 8:31mark of the fourth for an 82-81 lead they would hang on to until the end..
Calvin Abueva also poured in 10 of his 16 points in the second half, to go with seven boards in the biggest comeback win of the conference thus far.
McMorrow finished with 26 points and 15 rebounds to lead Barako Bull, but was a non-factor in the second half rally of Alaska.
RR Garcia added 19 for the Energy while Joseph Yeo and Chico Lanete both had 18. (RL)
The scores:
BARAKO BULL 101 – Travis 23, Banchero 20, Abueva 16, Jazul 11, Dela Rosa 9, Casio 8, Manuel 6, Baguio 4, Exciminiano 4, Thoss 0, Hontiveros 0, Eman 0, Menk 0, Dela Cruz 0.
ALASKA 95 – McMorrow 26, Garcia 19, Yeo 18, Lanete 18, Intal 10, Wilson 2, Ababou 2, Hubalde 0, Pascual 0, Chua 0, Maierhofer 0.
Quarterscores: 17-32, 40-62, 72-78, 101-95.
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
