Undermanned Aces face Beermen
Following rules is among the tenets Alaska Milk lives by.
And thus even with the danger of losing another game, the Aces are sanctioning two key players with a one-game ban for violating a league rule.
The Aces will be badly handicapped as they play the San Miguel Beermen at 5:15 p.m. Saturday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Vic Manuel and Ping Exciminiano are serving a game suspension in violation of a rule disallowing PBA players from playing in unsanctioned events.
With Calvin Abueva and Sonny Thoss nursing injuries, coach Alex Compton will only have a 11-man team at his disposal in taking on June Mar Fajardo and his teammates in the mainer of the first Petron Blaze Saturday Special in the all-Filipino tourney. It’s a match between two teams that figured in the last Philippine Cup finals.
“When you violate your PBA contract by participating in ‘larong labas,’ there will be consequences,” said Alaska team manager Dickie Bachmann. “We need to send a message to all PBA players that violations like this are taken very seriously and have consequences.”
And so odds will be stacked against the Aces. The only players available in their game against the Beermen are rookie Carl Bryan Cruz, RJ Jazul, Noy Baclao, Dondon Hontiveros, Jvee Casio, Kevin Racal, Tony dela Cruz, Chris Banchero, Mario Magat, Jaypee Mendoza and Abel Galliguez.
The Beermen will surely be a very determined squad after an 85-97 upset by the Phoenix Fuel Masters Wednesday at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
Alaska was off to a losing start, dropping an overtime battle with NLEX, 97-99.
The Aces yielded the game as they missed no less than four “gimmes” in the last 10 seconds.
RJ Jazul first clunked a layup then Jaypee Mendoza and Dondon Hontiveros muffed three follow-ups, allowing the Road Warriors an escape act in their first game under coach Yeng Guiao.
Sans Abueva and Thoss, Cruz, Manuel, Baclao and Jazul carried the cudgels for the Aces. Cruz and Manuel top scored with 20 and 19 points, respectively, but both fouled out with plenty of time left in the game.
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
