ACES, MIXERS ZERO IN ON TOP 4 BERTH
These two teams figured in a near free-for-all in a tune-up match during the conference break.
Alaska and San Mig Coffee are only expected to engage in a physical and emotional battle as they clash Tuesday, with both out to boost Top Four aspirations in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
The Aces and the Mixers both go for win No. 4 as they mix it up at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Alaska, the Commissioner’s Cup champion, is currently at No. 4 with a 3-2 win-loss slate while San Mig Coffee is at fifth alongside Rain or Shine with a 3-3 card.
The Mixers welcome the return of Joe Devance, but not Marc Pingris who’s serving the second of his two-game suspension in the aftermath of the San Mig-GlobalPort fracas.
Still, Alaska coach Luigi Trillo is very much wary of San Mig Coffee.
“We played them in the preseason without Pingris and they beat us by 25 points,” said Trillo, recalling the match that nearly turned to “basket-brawl.”
Witnesses also pointed to Devance as the instigator of the melee that saw Trillo and San Mig Coffee coach Tim Cone engage in a heated face-to-face verbal tussle.
“We need to be better on both ends of the court. San Mig is a talented, disciplined, well-coached team that plays with a lot of effort and spunk,” said Trillo.
“San Mig is not only a well-coached team. They are playing quality basketball. Their chemistry seems to be improving,” Trillo also said.
Cone said they have to be on their toes against the Aces who beat them, 3-1, in their semifinal showdown in the recent Commissioner’s Cup.
Both teams have been doing well as of late, both winning three of their last four games.
Wendell McKines returned like a battering ram after being neutralized by Meralco the last time out, erupting for a PBA best of 38 points to power Alaska to a 112-104 win over Talk n Text in a high-scoring duel at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Friday night.
San Mig Coffee, meanwhile, shook off a sluggish start and outfought Barangay Ginebra in a battle at the finish, carving out an 89-86 win Sunday at the Big Dome.
Marcus Blakely logged 30 points and 10 rebounds, and James Yap tallied 19 markers and nine boards while holding Mark Caguioa without a single field goal as the Kings overcame the absence of Pingris and Devance. (SB)
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