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ALASKA MAKES IT FIRST TO FINAL FOUR
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IT TOOK some doing, but Alaska still achieved what it set out to do: A short work of Air21.
The Aces made the needed clutch plays on both ends down the stretch before they could dispatch the Express via an 87-81 count Saturday at the MOA Arena to advance to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
Sonny Thoss and Jvee Casio delivered the key baskets while Alaska as a whole limited Air21 to just a lone field goal despite five tries inside the final 2:27 to put an abrupt end to the duel.
As a result, the Aces advanced to their second straight semis appearance, their first back-to-back Final Four stint in three seasons and followed up their fourth-place finish in the season-opening Philippine Cup.
The Uytengsu franchise now awaits the winner of the San Mig Coffee-Meralco matchup as its opponent in the best-of-5 semis that could start as early as Wednesday.
“The nice thing is, we took care of business early,” said Alaska coach Luigi Trillo, whose team earned a win-once advantage over eighth-ranked Air21 after emerging as the eliminations topnotcher.
“This win gives us the opportunity to refresh and regroup,” he added.
It was actually the fifth straight victory for the Aces, matching their longest streak for the conference, and Casio helped make it all possible with 19 points, five assists and four rebounds.
Rob Dozier also did a yeoman’s job with 17 points, a game-high 22 rebounds and four blocks while helping out on the defensive efforts on Nino Canaleta and Michael Dunigan.
Canaleta finished with 16 points, but he was held scoreless in the decisive fourth quarter, while Dunigan, visibly bothered by gimpy knees and a bad back, was held to a PBA career-low 13 points and 11 rebounds, although he did have a game-high seven assists.
Also dampened by the loss was the fact Wynne Arboleda became the eighth player in the 38-year-old league with at least 700 career steals after completing a swipe off Dozier near the last three minutes-mark.
Only Mike Cortez was the lone other Air21 player in double digits with 11 points and six of those came during his partnership with Mark Isip in bringing the team, which trailed by as much as 41-23 early, within 78-80.
Then came the Express meltdown that only had Nelbert Omolon buying a basket through a corner triple.
“Our defense was better in the fourth quarter, but they still had some open looks,” noted Trillo. “Good thing they didn’t convert those. We still need a lot of improvement in that area.”
Thoss, who himself suffered from a strained back nearing the end of Alaska’s elims run, led the offensive charge in the endgame with a jumper before Casio boomed in his triple that made it an 85-78 count, still 1:15 left.
Omolon’s trey pulled Air21 to within 81-87, but Thoss himself sealed scoring with a 17-footer following his own offensive rebound, only 15.4 seconds to go.
The way Air21 won’t go away prompted Trillo to heap praises on the same team that beat his via a 74-68 count in their only elims meeting.
“There’s simply no quit in Air21,” said Trillo. “You really have to give credit to Air21. They’re a tough team and would have easily been fourth or sixth at worst.”
Good thing Alaska rediscovered its game that held Air21 to just eight points in the second quarter and gave the former a 46-29 spread at the half.
That would prove to be a big prop in the face of the Express’ second half fightback that Canaleta helped make possible with nine points in the third period that whittled their deficit to a very manageable 60-67. (NC)
The scores:
ALASKA 87 – Casio 19, Dozier 17, Abueva 14, Thoss 12, Baguio 12, Jazul 8, Hontiveros 3, Dela Cruz 2, Reyes 0, Espinas 0.
AIR 21 81 – Canaleta 16, Dunigan 13, Cortez 11, Omolon 9, Custodio 8, Isip 8, Arboleda 8, Baclao 4, Menor 4, Atkins 0, Wilson 0, Ritualo 0.
Quarterscores: 28-21, 46-29, 67-60, 87-81
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EDITORS' PICK
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