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Alaska holds off Meralco, enters Commissioner’s Cup Finals
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Alaska Aces vs Meralco Bolts. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Alaska Milk survived a third do-or-die game in the tourney, gutting out a 76-70 win over Meralco to secure the last berth in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven finals Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
In an eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation at the finish, the Aces never blinked, beating out the Bolts in a knockout duel for the right to battle the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the titular showdown.
Alaska and Rain or Shine figure in a first-ever title playoff between the two franchises, with the Aces shooting for a 15th crown and the E-Painters gunning for a second championship.
The Aces reached a 15th finals in franchise history after surviving two do-or-die games versus the Tropang TNT Texters in the quarterfinals and this one against the Bolts.
Meralco, in chase of a first finale, engaged Alaska in a nip-and-tuck battle through the first 45 minutes only to bomb out in the homestretch.
The Bolts surged ahead, 67-66, entering the last three minutes but failed to hold on, throwing clunkers and committing dubious errors under gnawing pressure.
Rob Dozier, RJ Jazul and Calvin Abueva teamed up in a lethal 8-0 binge before Jared Dillinger ended their dry spell with a three-pointer with only 12 ticks to go.
From 66-67, the Aces smothered the Bolts with a 10-3 closing run.
Baser Amer hit two clutch treys late in the second period as Meralco grabbed the lead, 39-37, at halftime.
Onuaku, Jared Dillinger and Cliff Hodge canned in earlier baskets that helped the team wipe out a seven-point deficit at 28-35 — the biggest margin in the tight first half marked by three dead locks and three lead changes
The close, fierce battle raged on in the next quarter with the Aces regaining the upper hand, 56-50, on efforts by Dozier, Chris Banchero and Noy Baclao.
The Aces went on to carry that lead into the final quarter as Dillinger made a three-pointer that failed to beat the buzzer.
The Bolts, however, would wage another fightback, sneaking into the lead at 67-66 on a three-point play by Dillinger.
A crucial turn for the Bolts was sending Alaska into penalty situation just 48 seconds into the final quarter.
But the Aces survived and lived to play a third straight finals and a fourth championship series in the last five conferences.
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