ACES SEEK FINAL 4 SPOT
Elims topnotcher Alaska carries a twice-to-beat advantage but Barangay Ginebra San Miguel rides the momentum of stirring back-to-back triumphs, promising a battle royale in their PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals matchup.
The Aces take their first of two shots at the Final Four at 7 p.m. Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
They’re practically 1-0 up in a best-of-three showdown but Alaska coach Alex Compton knows so well it’s not a sure thing they can wrap it up if they don’t do their job.
And Compton stresses the Gin Kings are a dangerous opponent.
“Ginebra is playing great and definitely they are a different team than the one we faced early in the eliminations,” said Compton.
“Greg (Slaughter) and Japeth (Aguilar) are back, and though they certainly miss Mark Caguioa, they have an excellent Asian import in Kim Jiwan,” Compton also said. “Hopefully, we can be disciplined and play team basketball on both sides of the ball.”
With the way they handled Barako Bull and NLEX in their last two games, hopes are high the Gin Kings will be able to stretch their run.
The Kings manhandled the Energy Cola, 120-98, then nipped the Road Warriors, 110-107, to salvage the last slot in the quarters.
Ginebra is a team that has overcome a twice-to-beat task in the past, and the Gin Kings are the rise following a flat start in the tourney due to injuries.
“We started badly without Japeth (Aguilar) and Greg (Slaughter). We struggled but we’re picking up little by little,” said Ginebra coach Frankie Lim.
“We’re facing Alaska, the No. 1 team, and we have to prepare something good. They press a lot and try to limit your sets to certain number of seconds. We have to be ready for that,” said Lim on what he expects on their game with the Aces.
With a shorthanded lineup minus Aguilar, Slaughter and Chris Ellis, the Gin Kings bowed to the Aces, 99-108, in the elims.
The Kings still have their health woes with injuries to Mark Caguioa, Josh Urbiztondo and Ellis, but Aguilar and Slaughter are back in shape and could well pose matchup problems to the Aces.
Alaska is the playoffs top seed on the strength of its 8-3 showing in the elims.
The Aces ruled the elims with a good balance on both ends of the court.
Offensively, Romeo Travis is the lead light with 24.09 points an outing. Only one local player in Chris Banchero averages in double figures with 10.82 but JVee Casio, Cyrus Baguio, Calvin Abueva, RJ Jazul, Vic Manuel and Dondon Hontiveros chip in at least 5.18 each a game. (SB)
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