Cone crosses swords with former team in semis

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It’s coach Tim Cone’s current team versus his former squad – the Star Hotshots opposite the Alaska Milk Aces. Mere mention of that surely touches a nerve.

No hype needed,the drama will write itself.

Cone and Alaska Milk figure in yet another exciting playoff matchup, facing off in one side of the PBA Governors Cup best-of-five semifinal series starting Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Game time is at 7 p.m.

It’s their fifth playoff collision since their breakup after the 2010-11 season, and it’s likely to be very competitive, physical and emotional just like their previous battles.

They will surely say it’s just another matchup, nothing personal. But at the back of their minds, it’s far beyond that.

Alaska Milk chief boss Wilfred Steven Uytengsu can probably take any kind of beating from any team but Cone and his Star Hotshots.

After severing their ties, the Aces humbled Cone and his team in their first playoff duel in the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup where the Uytengsu ball club went all the way to rule the tourney.

It’s their first and only title so far in their post-Cone era.

But Cone has had his revenge, not just once but thrice in their quarterfinals pairings in the 2013 Governors Cup, 2014 Commissioner’s Cup and the most recent Commissioner’s Cup.

Cone and the Hotshots went all the way to win the crowns in two of those three tournaments, forming part of the five title runs the brilliant American tactician has achieved with the Purefoods/SMC Food franchise.

But the Hotshots have since slowed down while the Aces have been on the rise, in chase of a second finale this season.

Alaska is out to sustain the momentum of a first-place finish in the eliminations and a stirring come-from-behind one-game disposal of Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinals.

“They’re playing a high-level basketball and a high-level defense. They’re a formidable team. They have it all in their lineup,” said Cone.

The two-time grand slam champion coach also recalled how “very easily they handled us” in their elimination-round tiff. Alaska repulsed Star, 92-86, on May 27.

Alaska coach Alex Compton, however, feels they’re facing a different Star team in the Final Four.

The Hotshots do look like different from the Star squad that got to a poor 1-4 win-loss start in the tourney. Marqus Blakely and his teammates set out for the semifinals riding the crest of a five-game streak, including a two-game reversal of fourth seed Globalport in the quarterfinals.

James Yap is a key player who’s back in the groove averaging 14.75 after being limited to a total of 18 in three previous games.

Same with PJ Simon, norming 12.6 markers in their last five outings in a big improvement from his 4.5 points average in their first eight games.

Other players to watch out for from the Star side are Alex Mallari, Joe Devance, Mark Barroca, Marc Pingris and Justin Melton.

Alaska also has a solid core group including Romeo Travis, Chris Banchero, Jvee Casio, Cyrus Baguio, Calvin Abueva, Vic Manuel, RJ Jazul, Dondon Hontiveros, Sonny Thoss, Rome dela Rosa, Chis Exciminiano and Eric Menk.

Romeo averages 24.5 points, 13.3 rebounds, 3.3 assists and 1.7 steals for Alaska while Blakely norms 22.5 points, 13.4 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 2.7 steals and 2.6 blocks for Star. (SB)

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TAGS: alaska aces, basketball, pba, sports, star hotshots, tim cone

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