PBA IMAGES
Alaska Milk pushes its drive for an early playoff passage while the Star Hotshots try to hold onto their precarious position as they collide in the Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Tuesday.
Game time is at 7 p.m. with the Aces seeking to regain a piece of the lead with the San Miguel Beermen at 5-1 and the Hotshots out to arrest further skid, having lost their last two games and three of their last four matches.
Naturally, Alaska is the odds-on pick being the more organized and far steadier at this moment.
The Aces were in great form in their 123-104 shellacking of the Globalport Batang Pier Friday.
The Hotshots, meanwhile, played poorly in their 83-87 loss to the previously winless Meralco squad Saturday.
Coach Jason Webb and his troops had hoped to win that match to establish momentum going to tough back-to-back matches against elite rivals Alaska Milk and San Miguel Beer.
“We put ourselves in a tough spot after losing the first of our three games in eight days stretch,” rued Webb.
But the rookie coach remains hopeful they would eventually hit strides.
“We just have to continue to believe in what we are doing, and realize everything is a process and we’ll eventually get to where we want with faith and patience,” he said.
The Aces, meanwhile, seem to be just going through the motion of picking up wins with a system that everyone has adapted to.
They were in a virtual cruise mode in their 19-point blasting of the Batang Pier.
First stringers Cyrus Baguio, Sonny Thoss, Eric Menk and Jvee Casio combined for 53 points while Vic Manuel, Chris Banchero, RJ Jazul and Calvin Abueva came off the bench to deliver an even bigger production with 55 as the Aces stopped the streaking Globalport squad.
For the record, Alaska swept Star in four games in the last Governors Cup. (SB)
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