No signs of rust as Aces blast Batang Pier
ANTIPOLO – Alaska Milk played with a great resolve coming from a 10-day break, working hard on both ends to hack out a crucial 133-106 rout of Globalport in the PBA Governors Cup at the Ynares Sports Center here Wednesday night.
LaDontae Henton fired 33 points, Calvin Abueva and Chris Banchero added 21 and 20, respectively, with three other Aces scoring in double-figures in the most explosive performance by any team this season.
Coupled with the key stops that they made in the final quarter, the Aces broke a close game open en route to the win that gave them a piece of seventh place with the NLEX Road Warriors and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at 4-5.
“It’s the level of determination coming back from our long rest,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton.
“The guys’ resolve coming into this game was big,” Compton also said. “We play that way and we’ll give ourselves a good chance against any team.”
The Aces found a big opening as Globalport chief playmaker Stanley Pringle sat down briefly in the second half.
The Aces pounced on Pringle’s five-minute rest starting late in the third, working on a key run that they were able to sustain to the finish.
After falling behind at 73-74, the Aces unleashed a 22-10 closing run in the third and roared to claim the vital win.
The Batang Pier slid one rung down to 10th place after suffering a sixth loss against three wins.
Henton, Abueva, Banchero led the way for the Aces as they overcame the Batang Pier’s tough stand once again anchored on Pringle, Terrence Romeo and Mike Glover.
Romeo, Glover and Pringle scored 26, 25 and 20 points for the losing team.
They engaged in a fierce shootout until Globalport faded away on Pringle’s brief rest.
From a 13-point deficit in the second period, Pringle, Romeo and Glover joined forced to carry the Batang Pier ahead, 74-73, midway through the third.
But the Aces stayed unfazed, regaining control at 95-82 just before the end of the quarter.
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