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Abueva sizzles in return as Aces beat Batang Pier
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ALASKA was already playing relatively well without some of its prized players. With three of them back, a good game materialized and a breakthrough win was finally realized.
Calvin Abueva made his long-awaited season debut and promptly made an impact with 22 points and 11 rebounds in leading the Aces to a 95-84 win over previously unbeaten GlobalPort Wednesday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Fellow starter Jayvee Casio also played a key role, like Abueva scoring 10 points in the fourth period to complete Alaska’s fightback from the depths of a 16-point 47-63 third quarter deficit and into the win that eased the sting of two tough losses.
It was the way his Aces fully clamped down on defense and pressured the Batang Pier into committing 13 of their 28 turnovers in the second half to deal the latter their first loss in three games that pleased coach Alex Compton more.
“Obviously, the press got us back in the game and we started moving the ball better,” said Compton, making special mention of his other players who chipped in and made up for the continued absence of injured centers Sonny Thoss and Noy Baclao.
“Again, we’re undersized, but I don’t think that the guys who’ve been putting on our jersey lacks any heart,” stated Compton, who also got to avail of the services of Vic Manuel and Ping Exciminiano after their one-game suspension for playing in an unsanctioned game.
Coming off the bench for the first time, Terrence Romeo led GlobalPort with 26 points while backcourt mate Stanley Pringle added 23. JR Quinahan posted 15 points and nine boards, but the Batang Pier still failed to stretch their best-ever season start to 3-0.
The leadership thus became crowded as GlobalPort was caught by defending champion San Miguel Beer, TNT KaTropa, Blackwater, Rain or Shine and Phoenix while Alaska hopes the win would act as a spark in its drive for inclusion among the top eight teams advancing to the playoffs following the 11-game eliminations.
After dominating the most part of the two middle quarters, the Batang Pier simply could not solve the Aces’
defensive and offensive intensity in crucial stretches, resulting in several dry spells.
Quinahan’s triple gave GlobalPort a 78-69 lead, which proved fragile enough as Abueva strung up eight straight points that put Alaska within one.
Casio then joined the Abueva show that totally devastated their foes, with his own scoring burst also marked by two triples, the last staking Alaska to an unassailable 91-82 spread, only 44 ticks left.
Ironically, both Abueva and Casio were on the bench while the likes of Exciminiano, Tony dela Cruz, Chris Banchero, Marion Magat and Dondon Hontiveros started bringing the Aces back from their 16-point deficit.
In the last three minutes of the third period, Alaska forced GlobalPort into four turnovers and 0-for-2
field shooting while going on a 15-2 run that trimmed the deficit to a very manageable 62-65 heading to the final canto.
Exciminiano sparked the charge with a triple and Hontiveros and RJ Jazul boomed in their own in that stretch.
“It’s great to have all the guys back,” said Compton, “and the guys who held the fort while the others were absent continued to play well today.”
The momentum of a 24-point game in a 91-84 win over Star seems to have carried over for Pringle, who already had 15 points, all on triples, in leading GlobalPort to a 40-35 lead at the half.
Coming off the bench for the first time, Romeo did his part with 11 points, including six in the opening quarter that brought the Batang Pier within 20-21.
Manuel, along with Ping Exciminiano back from a one-game team suspension, had eight points at the turn while starters Jaypee Mendoza, Carl Cruz and Casio scored five apiece, but Alaska could not sustain its
early momentum.
The Aces actually got off to a 10-2 start, but the Batang Pier patiently crawled their way back to the game and snatched the lead at 29-26 before enjoying as much as a 40-32 spread.
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