WITH JOB ON THE LINE, DANIELS LEADS TNT IN 83-62 ROUT OF ALASKA; SERIES NOW TIED 2-ALL

(From PBA)

Under the threat of being replaced, Shawn Daniels asserted himself in Game 4 as Talk ‘N Text bowled over Alaska, 83-62 Wednesday to even their PBA Fiesta Conference semifinal series at two games apiece at the Cuneta Astrodome.

The portly import scored 13 points to share scoring honors with teammate Jason Castro and grabbed 14 rebounds in a game that may decide his fate with the team.

“Now I am faced with a good problem,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes, who had told Daniels of his impending decision should the team suffered a second straight loss.

Reyes said Daniels’ deteriorating performance prompted him to take a drastic move for the good of the team.

“We know that Shawn is not a scorer. But he’s got to rebound and defend. It’s a big disadvantage for the locals if Diamon Simpson (Alaska import) will get away with double-doubles,” Reyes emphasized.

TNT’s standby import, Omar Shariff Sneed, arrived Wednesday evening and watched Game 4 at ringside beside team owner Manny Pangilinan.

“We’ll make a decision tomorrow (Thursday) after practice,” Reyes said, adding will consult with his coaching staff and some of his players before making a decision.

Game 5 of the best-of-seven series is set Friday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Apparently, the presence of Sneed became a challenge for Daniels who never gave Simpson a chance to roam around the lane.

With Simpson held in check, the Aces tried to look for other offensive sources but no one else clicked.

Mark Cardona collected 11 points and Jimmy Alapag added 10 and 11 assists for the Tropang Texters, who held off a second quarter charge by the Aces before ripping the game wide open in the third quarter.

Alaska’s total output was the lowest for the franchise in the last nine conferences.

Simpson took just nine attempts, made six and finished with a conference-low 12 points that went with his 12 rebounds.

The only other Ace who managed to score in double digit was back-up center Samigue Eman, with 11, his highest in an Alaska uniform. As a team Alaska shot just 35 percent (25 of 70) and committed 19 turnovers, nine more that TNT.

Alaska appeared to have gained momentum in the second quarter when it went on an 8-0 run that shoved the Aces ahead, 27-24.

But the Ranidel de Ocampo and Daniels quickly responded with successive baskets as TNT outscored Alaska, 22-5, over a seven minute stretch for a comfortable 46-33 advantage at halftime.

The Aces never recovered after that as Talk 'N Text even went on to lead by as many as 24 in the second half. (DBC)

The scores:

Talk N' Text 83 - Castro 13, Daniels 13, Cardona 11, Alapag 10, Yee 8, De Ocampo 8, Carey 8, Dillinger 5, Williams 5, Quinahan 2.

Alaska 62 - Simpson 12, Eman 11, Baguio 7, Dela Cruz 7, De Vance 6, Tenorio 6, Borboran 5, Thoss 5, Hugnatan 2, Fonacier 1, Robinson 0, Cariaso 0.

Quarterscores: 20-18, 46-33, 69-45, 83-62

Critical Game Four

(From Business World)

The semifinals of the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference hit the half-way mark today as the pairings engage in Game Four of their respective best-of-seven affairs; a critical juncture if ever there was one as it has the potential to make or break one team’s bid.

Going into the encounters the San Miguel Beermen and Alaska Aces carry a slight psychological advantage over the Derby Ace Llamados and Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters, respectively, as they are sporting a 2-1 series advantage. A victory by the Beermen and Aces propels them to solid footing as they move one step away from the magic number of 4 (victories) to advance to the finale. The Llamados and Texters emerging triumphant, however, changes the tone of both series.

But as the last two games in both brackets have taken the "unpredictable" route, calling the outcome of Game Four would be difficult to do.

Coming off an inspiring victory previously, the Beermen are on a high. Fashioning a come-from-behind triumph in Game Three they showed how flexible they are as a group in taking head-on whatever thrown their way. Key for San Miguel is its frontline which has outplayed its counterpart to date. Gabe Freeman (18.3 ppg, 18.6 rpg), Jay Washington (17.6 ppg, 7.6 rpg) and Arwind Santos (14 ppg, 5.6 rpg) have all been delivering in more ways than one to much success for their team. Focus and execution should be guarded upon though, as the team has also shown tendencies to lose grip at various stretches, opening opportunities for its opponent.

While by and large its frontcourt has been held in check by the Beermen, Derby Ace’s big men are still competing in all fairness. Import Tony Washam (26 ppg, 8.3 rpg) is still solid while Don Allado (8.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg) is surprisingly holding his own. But outside of the two, nobody from the team’s biggies has shown up on a consistent basis like they did in the earlier rounds. Luckily guard James Yap (19.6 ppg) is holding up his strong play up to this point to somehow cushion the team.

Consistency

If there is anything that is keeping Alaska humming in its series it is the fact that it is getting more consistency from its wards compared to its foe, most especially from its starters which have accounted for 70% of the team’s offensive output in the games that have been played. Most impressive has been import Diamon Simpson who is churning out stud-like numbers of 25 points and 16.6 rebounds in the series. A concern for the Aces, however, is the continued good performance of their bench to negate the depth advantage that Talk ’N Text has. Reserves Reynel Hugnatan (10 ppg), Larry Fonacier (8 ppg) and Tony Dela Cruz (5.3 ppg) have been chipping their fair share especially in their victories, but may need to add up some more as the series goes deep.

Talk ’N Text, for its part, has been blowing hot and cold, affecting its ability to put up a solid fight in the series. Of its players, it is only Ranidel De Ocampo (17 ppg, 6 rpg) and Harvey Carey (10.6 ppg, 8.3 rpg) who have been the most steady game in and game out. The rest have had their moments so far in the series but have not really put their stamp to it. Even import Shawn Daniels (9.3 ppg, 9.3 rpg) is performing "subpar" considering what is at stake. But the thing about the Texters is that they are an explosive lot, and when they do click all at the same time (and Game Four could very well be it) the possibilities are immense; making it hard to discount them altogether even if they are currently down.

Hitting an all-important point in the competition, today’s Game Four has an added significance to it. It could well be the series here, for all we know.

Leaders air common strategy

(From Business Mirror)

Alaska and San Miguel Beer will be working to increase the pressure on their rivals and inch closer toward a possible championship showdown in the Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference.

The two teams regained control of their respective semifinal match-ups with down-the-wire victories on Sunday, which Alaska coach Tim Cone described as “very crucial.”

A 90-86 win gave Alaska a 2-1 lead over Talk ’N Text in the best-of-seven series. That allowed the Aces to relax in practice on Monday and Tuesday.

“We’re hoping the extra day break has refreshed us and we go into Game Four on even terms with TNT,” said Cone of their 5 o’clock encounter with the Tropang Texters on Wednesday at the Astrodome.

The Alaska coach is expecting TNT to come back strong in Game Four as it did in Game Two, so he is keeping his fingers crossed the Aces would be able to fan a streak.

“Usually, the team who can win back-to-back in a series wins it,” Cone said.

With import Diamon Simpson asserting his dominance over counterpart Shawn Daniels and LA Tenorio taking charge when the going gets tough, Cone has a reason to be optimistic.

Cone has won 12 championships for Alaska and his last one came in 2007 in the same conference also at the expense of TNT, then coached by Joel Banal, who is now one of his assistants.

Momentum may be on Alaska’s side but Chot Reyes, coach of the top-seeded Texters, is confident his chargers will rise to the challenge and tie the series.

All they have to do, he said, is to contain Simpson and match Alaska’s aggressiveness.

“We lost Game Three because Simpson is thoroughly dominating Daniels and they [Aces] took 34 free throws to our 13. If we’re able to solve at least one of these then we’ll have a chance in Game Four,” Reyes said.

For San Miguel Beer coach Siot Tanquingcen, their ability to play tough defense will be key to winning Game Four against B-Meg Derby Ace.

Making his ninth semifinal appearance, Tanquingcen said he expects their 7:30 p.m. encounter against the Llamados to be as close as Game Three which they won, 74-70.

“Nothing will be given to you in this series. You will have to work for it,” Tanquingcen said.

The Llamados remain upbeat despite Sunday’s loss but will have to improve on their shooting to be able to compete against the Beermen, according to B-Meg Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio.

“Our offense [in Game Three] was pathetic. We only scored 70 points after exploding with 95 points in Game Two. We know for a fact that we couldn’t win against SMB if we don’t score in the high 90s,” Gregorio said.

He gave his troops a break on Monday to enable them to recharge.

“We have no legs last Sunday, something that worries me because I have a short rotation which means that my players play longer minutes.” Gregorio said.

ALASKA ACES UP, 2-1

(From PBA)

LA Tenorio outshone Jimmy Alapag in Game One then the Talk n Text point guard turned things around in the next game.

Being upstaged for the second straight game, Tenorio stole the thunder in the end as Alaska Milk upended Talk n Text, 90-86, for the crucial 2-1 lead in their PBA Fiesta Conference best-of-seven semifinal showdown at the Araneta Coliseum Sunday night.

Tenorio struggled most of the way but delivered when needed the most as the Aces moved to within two games of the finals.

The former Ateneo star guard scored all of their last seven points after being held down to two points in the first 47 minutes of play.

“LA was as calm as a cucumber. He reminds me of Jojo Lastimosa who used to be our Mr. Fourth Quarter Man. LA just doesn’t get rattled in pressure-packed situations,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone.

Tenorio banged away a three-pointer and nailed four charities in the last 45 seconds, negating Alapag’s 17 points, nine assists, five rebounds and three steals.

Diamon Simpson carried the fight for Alaska early on, coming through with 31 points, 20 rebounds, five assists, three steals and one block in a splendid 46-minute outing.

“Diamon was a monster out there. It helped to be 22, playing a third game in five days. I was thinking of resting him but I said ‘oh, he’s only 22,’” said Cone of his prized import.

Macmac Cardona, TnT’s leading scorer with an average of 17 points a game, groped for form in his first game after his wedding Friday, getting only six points on 3-of-6 shooting.

Ranidel de Ocampo paced the Texters with 18 points but he incurred a crucial offensive foul that hastened their downfall.

The Texters were down by only two, 84-86, when De Ocampo charged into Reynel Hugnatan with 26 seconds to go.

Kelly Williams was forced to give up a foul 11 seconds later, and Tenorio coolly sank two charities to make it 88-84.

Cone said it’s a big win for them going to a two-day break.

“We have a chance to refresh and play them on even terms Wednesday,” said Cone. “It would've been a lot difficult had we lost this game.” (SB)

The scores:

Alaska 90 -- Simpson 31, Hugnatan 12, Fonacier 11, Tenorio 9, De Vance 7, Baguio 7, Dela Cruz 6, Thoss 5, Borboran 2.

TNT 86 – De Ocampo 18, Alapag 17, Reyes 14, Carey 12, Dillinger 9, Williams 6, Cardona 6, Daniels 4, Castro 0.

Quarters: 17-24; 40-37; 61-65; 90-86

Aces stun Texters, take 1-0 lead in best-of-seven semis series

(From PBA Online)

Up against the most explosive team in the league, Alaska got a big lift from an unlikely source.

Defense-minded Reynel Hugnatan presided over a telling third-quarter breakaway as the Alaska Aces stunned no. 1 seed Talk N Text at the start of their PBA semifinals series Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Averaging just 4.4 points per game, Hugnatan came through with 16 points and five rebounds in 22 minutes of play, sparking a second-half
breakaway that turned an expected close match into a rout.

The lead reached as high as 100-76 on a Cyrus Baguio three-pointer with 2:32 left to play, paving the way for the Aces to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

"We played almost picture-perfect in the second half and we must continue to do that to beat this team in this series," said Cone.

Ranidel de Ocampo led Talk N Text with 20 points, but the rest of the Tropang Texters big men got saddled by foul trouble early in the fourth period, further hobbling the Tropang Texters' frontline.

The Aces beat out the Tropang Texters off the boards, 53-47.

Ironically, the Tropang Texters lost five of their first six series opener in a best-of-seven series.

Import Diamon Simpson led the Aces with 19 points and 16 rebounds, while Joe Devance added 19 points and LA Tenorio and Cyrus Baguio had 13 points each.

Tony Dela Cruz only had nine points, but grabbed eight rebounds, while new acquisition Topex Robinson scored four points on perimeter jumpers.

"I don't think they had a real answer for Rey because they focused so much on Diamon they forgot about some of our other players," said Cone. "That's easy to do with the numbers Diamon puts up."

The Aces trailed, 44-46, before Baguio and Hugnatan took over and led the team to a 78-65 spread. - RCJ, GMANews.TV

Scores:

Alaska 104 - Simpson 19, Devance 19, Hugnatan 16, Tenorio 13, Baguio 13, dela Cruz 9, Fonacier 5, Robinson 4, Eman 2, Borboran 0, Cablay 0.

Talk 'N Text 88 - de Ocampo 20, Cardona 17, Daniels 13, Carey 13, Castro 6, Reyes 6, Alapag 6, Williams 3, Dillinger 2, Aban 2, Yee 0, Quinahan 0.

Quarters: 20-38, 44-38, 78-68, 104-88

Well-Rested TNT, SMB Face Pumped-Up Alaska, B-Meg In Slam-Bang Semis

(From PBA)

Talk N Text coach Chot Reyes believes his Tropang Texters and the Alaska Aces are evenly matched.

Tim Cone, who has been coaching Alaska for the past 20 years, doesn’t think that way although he believes his team can match-up well against the Texters.

The Aces earned a semifinal showdown against TnT by eliminating the Barangay Ginebra Kings in the deciding Game 5 of their quarterfinal series last Sunday.

While awaiting their would-be match-up, the Tropang Texters went on a tour to China and Hong Kong during their three-week break while recharging their weary bodies and re-sharpening their minds.

That luxury, some observers say, should work to TnT’s advantage in the opener of the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference semifinals scheduled Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

Game One of the TnT-Alaska match-up is scheduled at 7:30 p.m. following the other semifinal series between B-Meg Derby Ace and defending champion San Miguel at 5 o’clock.

Reyes quickly downplayed the notion that his team enjoys the edge, contending “there’s no such thing as banged up or well rested team in the semis.”

“One is riding a momentum while the other is rusty. But definitely this will be a tough series between two evenly matched teams,” Reyes said.

This marks the first playoff series between the two teams since last season’s Philippine Cup Finals eventually won by TnT in seven games. They also went up against each other in the 2007 Fiesta Conference Finals won by the Aces also in seven games.

TnT and Alaska played each other twice in the elimination round with the Tropang Texters winning on both occasions.

And no matter what Reyes says, in this series the Tropang Texters are definitely the top dog. Their bench depth is the envy of many and their size and strength are expected to make life miserable for the Aces.

But after surviving Ginebra, Cone believes they have an equal chance.

“Ginebra was a tough hurdle. But we’re excited about going to the next level. We realize we’re now the unquestioned underdogs but we feel we can match up well and we like our chances,” Cone proclaimed.

Ryan Gregorio, the B-Meg Derby Ace coach, anticipates a tough grind against defending champion San Miguel but like Cone, also likes their chances.

“We are bracing for another challenge and we are bracing for a tougher one,” said Gregorio in the aftermath of their 105-100 overtime victory over Rain or Shine in the deciding Game 5 of their quarterfinal series that secured the Llamados’ spot in the Final Four.

“SMB looks invincible, strong in every position. But we are convinced that we can compete for as long as we play as a team and figure out their weaknesses early in the series,” he added.

Import Tony Washam, a replacement for Clif Brown, boosts the Llamados hopes for another Finals appearance.

“We got a new lease on life with the coming of Tony. He came in at the right place at the right time,” said Gregorio.

Washam, whose father Tony Sr. played for Ginebra in 1984, suited up in the last two games of the quarterfinal series, highlighting his effort with a season-best 49 points in Game 5.

“What you have seen so far is just the tip of the iceberg,” boasted Gregorio, contending his import has lots more to show.

Like TnT, SMB is also coming off a three-week break, prompting SMB coach Siot Tanquingcen to be concerned going into Game 1 of their series with Derby Ace.

“Yes, we had an advantage of being rested. However, you can only do so much in practice to simulate actual game,” Tanquingcen said.

That being the case, he hopes the Beermen could come in and pick up the pace of their game several notches higher to playoff level. (DBC)

Tougher battles ahead

(From Business Mirror)

AFTER hurdling the most popular ball club in the land, Alaska’s next assignment is the most dominant squad in the ongoing Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Fiesta Conference.

The Aces averted what could be a monumental collapse after Barangay Ginebra launched an improbable run in the closing seconds of their best-of-five quarterfinal series on Sunday night at the jam-packed Araneta Coliseum.

The young Alaska squad showed maturity in the end as the more experienced Kings failed to convert in their last play with five seconds left to surrender a 93-91 decision to the Aces.

The thrilling victory sent the Uytengsu franchise to the best-of-seven semifinal duel against No. 1 seed Talk ’N Text, the team that lost only four in 18 matches in the eliminations and which has beaten them twice in the tournament.

“Talk ’N Text is formidable but we are not afraid of them,” said Alaska head coach Tim Cone, who will be pitted against his close friend and Tropang Texters mentor Chot Reyes.

“Obviously, they [Texters] have a huge advantage and we came from a tough series and the players are really banged up like LA [Tenorio] and Diamon [Simpson]. Some guys are still coming from injuries. It will really be hard,” he added.

Cone’s wards were lucky to survive the onslaught by Ginebra in the dying seconds of the do-or-die Game Five as the grand slam-winning coach admitted Jayjay Helterbrand’s triple shifted the momentum to the Kings.

But Joe Devance, Simpson and Cyrus Baguio had other plans in mind as they made huge plays to spoil a Ginebra celebration.

“Our composure held on in the last play and that’s what we’ve been talking about at the start of the conference,” said Cone. “Joe showed great composure. He didn’t take a quick shot. He has really grown in front of our eyes.”

The American mentor was referring to Devance’s big-time assist to Simpson that turned out as the game-winner.

Helterbrand drilled a three-pointer that capped an amazing 7-0 run for a 91-90 Kings lead with 28 seconds left.

Alaska’s play was botched by the Kings’ pesky defense, but the Aces patiently waited for the right opportunity and, alas, Alaska’s 22-year-old import Simpson banked a short stab on Devance’s pass to beat the shot clock.

Ginebra had five seconds to steal the game but Baguio, the player the Kings gave away for the 33-year-old Willie Miller, snatched the ball from 35-year-old center Eric Menk.

Baguio was fouled, split his two free throws with no time left and sent the pro-Ginebra crowd home in grief.

“It’s almost sad someone had to lose this game and I’m glad it’s not us. It’s a tough one to lose and my heart goes out to them,” said Cone, who expects the same atmosphere with Talk ’N Text as Game One of the semifinal showdown starts on Wednesday also at the Big Dome.

SIMPSON TWINNER TOWS ALASKA PAST GINEBRA AND INTO FINAL 4

(From PBA)

ALASKA is now well on its road to redemption.

Two gems on opposite ends of the court in the dying seconds enabled the Aces to escape with a 93-91 squeaker over Barangay Ginebra Sunday to earn the last semifinal ticket in the PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

Those plays in front of some 21,000 predominantly pro-Ginebra fans boosted Alaska to a 3-2 win in the best-of-five quarterfinals series and into a race-to-four meeting with early qualifier Talk ‘N Text in the semis that start Wednesday.

The other semis pairing pits defending champion San Miguel Beer with B-Meg Derby Ace after the Llamados beat Rain or Shine, 105-100, in overtime earlier Sunday in their own deciding game.

“It’s such a euphoric feeling, winning this game,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone. “It’s almost sad someone has to lose this game. For sure, I’m glad it’s not us, but you couldn’t have had a more even series. It’s a tough one to lose and my heart goes out to them.

“But this series, these are the ones you remember, this kind of a series. It may just be in the quarterfinals but it felt like a championship series. So, if I may say it again, it’s sad someone has to lose.”

It all boiled down to the last 28.5 seconds, after Jayjay Helterbrand buried a triple to cap a 7-0 run and give Ginebra a 91-90 edge from an 84-90 deficit with 2:16 left in the game.

Diamon Simpson redeemed himself from back-to-back costly miscues in as many plays by converting a nifty assist from Joe Devance into a shotclock-beating undergoal stab that pushed Alaska up anew, only 5.0 ticks left.

Then Cyrus Baguio, playing against his former team, capped a brilliant second half by stealing the ball from Eric Menk in Ginebra’s ensuing play and then sinking the free throw that pegged the final count in the final second.

LA Tenorio wound up with a game-high 25 points with Simpson adding 24 and 22 rebounds and Baguio 22 points.

Willie Miller’s 19 led Barangay Ginebra, which grittily fought back and made it a close contest despite being on the shorter end for majority of the second half.

Menk added 15 points and Christopher Daniels 14 and 12 rebounds for the Kings.

What left a big question mark was the decision made by Barangay Ginebra coach Jong Uichico not to utilize Mark Caguioa, who showed up in full uniform but stayed on the bench the entire game, prompting most of the Ginebra fans to keep chanting his name in the hopes he will be fielded.

Caguioa, who averaged a locals-leading 14.8 points in the Kings’ first 18 games, scored only two points in only two attempts and four minutes of first half action in a 94-90 Game 4 win last Friday.

Still, Barangay Ginebra was in the thick of things with Menk even tying it up at 77, still 8:24 to go. Rudy Hatfield even kept the Kings within 82-84 before the Aces mustered their last surge of the series.

Triples by Baguio and Tenorio pushed Alaska up by 90-84, 2:16 left, while fanning the hopes of the outnumbered Alaska fans.

Then the Big Coliseum started reverberating with a louder cheer when Barangay Ginebra fought back, capped by an inadvertent Simpson follow-up to Helterbrand’s missed bank shot and the Aces import’s errant inbounds pass that led to a Menk steal and assist to Helterbrand.

It was a fitting ending to a really gripping contest.

Held to only three points on just two field tries in the first half, Daniels sprang to offensive life in the third period with 11 of his points while Intal added six of his own.

Yet even they could not match Alaska’s more balanced offense led by Baguio, whose back-to-back triples capped a 12-2 surge opening the quarter that gave the Aces a 52-46 spread.

Alaska was looking for a third Final Four stint in the last four conferences while Barangay Ginebra was eyeing a third straight semis and fourth in the last five conferences.

It seemed the Kings were well on their way to achieving their goal when they raced to an early 28-15 lead, going into the last 63 seconds of the opening period.

Miller was at the forefront of that opening attack, scoring nine of his 13 first half points during a 14-3 salvo from a 14-12 count.

But Alaska was like a bad dream that wouldn’t go away, staying within four points at the half mainly through the efforts of Simpson and Devance. (NC)

The Scores:

Alaska 93 - Tenorio 25, Simpson 24, Baguio 22, De Vance 10, Thoss 4, Hugnatan 4, Cablay 2, Cariaso 2, Dela Cruz 0.

Ginebra 91 - Miller 19, Menk 15, Daniels 14, Intal 11, Tubid 9, Hatfield 9, Salvacion 6, Helterbrand 6, Villanueva 2, Wilson 0, Cruz 0, Cortez 0.

Quarterscores: 17-28, 40-44, 68-65, 93-92.

ALASKA SURVIVES SLR’S 3-POINT BOMBS, KEEPS OUTRIGHT SEMIS BID ALIVE

(From PBA)

ALASKA survived an early bombardment from Sta. Lucia Realty to come out a 103-95 victor Sunday and keep alive its hopes of making it outright to the semifinals of the PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Aces remained poised despite the Realtors’ early surge to a 20-point lead, rallying behind Cyrus Baguio before having Diamon Simpson lead them home.

“We were shellshocked by the bombs they threw at us in the first quarter and a half,” admitted Aces coach Tim Cone, whose wards were barraged by 11 three-pointers by the Realtors in the first half alone. “It was like shock and awe out there. We couldn’t run for cover fast enough.

“But we told out players to keep playing beyond it, keep working, and hopefully some of their shots won’t fall in.”

Baguio sparkled in the second quarter, where he scattered 15 of his 23 points to bring the Aces back from 28-48 down to within 51-54 at halftime, before Simpson took over and eventually finished with a game-high 32 points on top of 10 rebounds.

“Parang ang nasa isip ko na lang gumawa ng paraan dahil malaki na ang lamang,” said Baguio, who made all his three attempts in the second period.

“Nu’ng pumasok ang mga tres ko, parang nagkakumpiyansa na ituloy-tuloy na,” he added.

The win was Alaska’s 11th in 17 games, putting it just half a game behind B-Meg Derby Ace, idle with an 11-5 slate.  The Aces can figure in a playoff for the outright semis berth should they win their last game against 12-5 San Miguel Beer and the Llamados drop one of their two remaining games.

Cone pointed out some of the scenarios happening are simply out of their hands and they could be content with their current automatic quarterfinals seat. “We can control how we play San Miguel, but we can’t control Derby Ace,” he said.

“We know it’s not all in our control, so our goal is to get the best scene we can and go from there, whether it be at third or fourth.”

Sta. Lucia dropped to a 5-12 card, its hopes of making the wildcard now hinging on winning its last game in the eliminations against Coca-Cola next week since both Air21 and Barako Energy Coffee, toting similar 3-13 records, can still catch the Realtors.

Anthony Johnson finished with a team-high 26 points an game-high 12 rebounds. But he had four of his six turnovers in the payoff period that helped fuel Alaska’s homeward surge.

The way SLR wound up its shooting from beyond the arc was vastly different from how it started the game and helped its downfall as it got beaten in both points in the paint (54-30), fastbreak points (25-8) and rebounds (48-39).

The Realtors made all but four of their first 15 triple tries before missing all but four of their last 13 attempts. (NC)

The scores:

Alaska 103 - Simpson 32, Baguio 23, De Vance 15, Hugnatan 11, Tenorio 6, Eman 5, Thoss 4, Dela Cruz 4, Cariaso 3, Burtscher 0.

Sta. Lucia 95 - Johnson 26, Urbiztondo 20, Peek 14, Menor 13, Escobal 6, Aljamal 6, Omolon 6, Ross 2, Custodio 2, Espinas 0, Aquino 0.

Quarterscores: 20-27, 51-54, 81-80, 103-95

Simpson Height Case Decided With Finality

(From GMA News)

Philippine Basketball Association commissioner Sonny Barrios finally put an end to speculation that Alaska import Diamon Simpson is taller than the 6-foot-6 height limit for imports.

Barrios confirmed that he received comments regarding Simpson, but the outgoing commissioner said that the issue had already been decided with finality.

�It�s final. Simpson can play and he was already measured with finality, so we cannot contest it anymore," said Barrios Thursday in a telephone interview. �The most logical thing to do to avoid such another case is to come up with a more sharpened and more refined process in measuring imports in the future."

The former National Basketball Developmental League stalwart looks bigger, probably an inch or more, than the rest of his counterparts in a tournament where imports should not go over the 6-foot-6 height limit.

This is the reason coaches Jong Uichico of Barangay Ginebra and Ryan Gregorio of B-Meg Derby Ace Llamados cast their doubts on Simpson�s true height measurement and they voiced out their opinion to GMANews.TV

Simpson, listed 6-foot-7 in the United States, was measured 6-foot-5 15/16 inches when all the new reinforcements in the league were advised to undergo measurement procedure prior to the start of the tournament.

Although the import passed the test, there were still questions about his true height.

�We were represented by coach Allan (Caidic) and he voiced his opinion regarding the matter. It wasn�t a blatant protest as we respect Alaska�s representative and the import being measured," Uichico said in a telephone interview.

�There was a final measurement made and those who conducted the measurement claimed he passed the test. We can�t make any action because our representatives are mere observers and we didn�t file any protest. But we were able to exchange thoughts with other coaches several times � that Simpson looks big and may not be 6-foot-6," added Uichico.

Uichico said that his team once experienced losing an import, who failed the measurement test.

�Ryan Humphrey was our original import previous conferences ago. He was measured in the morning and was sent home at night because he failed the test," Uichico added.

Another member of a coaching staff who requested anonymity also said that �Simpson stood side by side with B-Meg Derby Ace slotman Raffi Reavis, who is listed above 6-foot-6.

The source added that Reavis was �slightly shorter than the import."

For Gregorio, he believes Simpson is taller than 6-foot-6.

�I have an impression that Simpson is not 6-foot-6. He was listed 6-foot-7 in the United States barefooted and shrunk few inches when he was measured here," said Gregorio.

Alaska team manager and team board governor Joaqui Trillo explained that Simpson has a wingspan of a seven-footer, which is why the import looks bigger than his actual size.

�He was measured and he made the height limit. His arms are very long that makes him look tall. He has the wingspan of a seven-footer," said Trillo in a text message.

Uichico suggested that perhaps the league should come up with a more stricter measuring procedure among imports in next season�s import-laden conference, a suggestion that was given affirmation by Barrios.

�The board suggested if it�s ok that we come up with a more refined measurement procedure starting next season�s import-laden conference," said Barrios. �Somebody from the board also came up with a suggestion wherein the team representatives during the measurement will have the veto power to contest during the procedure."

�We didn�t come up with that idea before as we have to consider other factors. We are avoiding possible chaotic scenarios such as getting continuous complains that might delay the whole process," he added.

Close Shave, But A Win Just The Same For Unstoppable Texters

Team	W	L	PCT
Talk N Text	13	2	0.867
San Miguel	11	3	0.786
Derby Ace	9	5	0.643
Ginebra	9	6	0.600
Alaska	8	6	0.571
Rain or Shine	7	6	0.538
Coca-Cola	5	9	0.357
Sta. Lucia	4	10	0.286
Air21	3	11	0.214
Barako Energy Coffee	2	13	0.133

(From PBA)

Talk n Text, the tourney’s top offensive team, stretched its record streak to 12 games in overcoming Alaska Milk in a defensive battle.

The Tropang Texters struggled offensively but made big defensive stops that allowed them to escape with a 76-75 thriller of a win over the Aces Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Texters held the Aces to a single field-goal basket in the last six minutes for the win that assured the team of at least a playoff for an outright PBA Fiesta Conference semifinal seat.

“Natuyo kami nang husto doon sa Batangas game (versus Ginebra Saturday). Because of fatigue, our usual offense was not there. The good thing is that we made stops when we needed to. We showed we can win even when our shots are not falling,” said Talk n Text coach Chot Reyes.

“Our problem now is how to stop San Miguel in a big game Saturday (in Victorias, Negros Occidental). They’re coming in fresh from a layoff while we’re dead tired from tough games versus Ginebra and Alaska,” Reyes also said.

Talk n Text, at 13-2, and San Miguel, at 11-3, are slugging it out for top placing in the double-round elimination phase.

Teams nursing outside chances to finish second are Derby Ace (9-5), Barangay Ginebra (9-6), Alaska (8-6) and Rain or Shine (7-6).

The Aces threatened to put an end on the Texters’ rampage but fell short in their bid on two misses in the closing seconds.

Alaska got a chance to steal the game following a turnover by Jimmy Alapag with Talk n Text ahead by just one with 20 seconds left to play.

After scrambling for the inbounds, Jeffrey Cariaso -- reactivated from the reserve roster -- settled down with the ball only to miss a short jumper.

But the Aces got another chance to steal the game as the Texters touched the ball last before it went out of bounds.

The Texters eventually won the game as Joe De Vance missed a shot from afar at the buzzer.

Talk n Text put up a good defense, disallowing Alaska from throwing in the ball close to the basket.

“Alaska is a good team with a good import. We expected them to make a good run. The good thing is that we didn’t panic. We stayed calm under tremendous pressure,” said Reyes.

Shawn Daniels went 5-of-15 from the field but gave Talk n Text a big push with his 21 rebounds.

Ryan Reyes, with just 12 points, top scored for the Texters in their lowest-scoring game in the tourney.

Alapag pumped in three treys and finished with 11 points, seven assists and one rebound.

Diamon Simpson led the Aces with 30 points and 19 rebounds. (SB)

The scores:

Talk N' Text 76 - Reyes 12, Daniels 11, Alapag 11, Williams 9,Dillinger 8, Cardona 8, Carey 6, De Ocampo 5, Quinahan 4, Castro 2, Yee 0.

Alaska 75 -Simpson 30, Baguio 13, De Vance 10, Tenorio 8, Dela Cruz 6, Cariaso 4, Thoss 2, Hugnatan 2, Eman 0.

Quarters: 21-20, 41-38, 60-53, 76-75

TNT Tries To Stretch Run To 12

(From Business Mirror)

TALK ‘N TEXT goes after a playoff berth for one of two automatic semifinal seats in the KFC-Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Cup on Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Unbeaten in their last 11 games, the streaking Tropang Texters hope to make it 12 in a row against the dangerous Alaska in the main game at 7:30 p.m.

In the opener, Barangay Ginebra tries to revive its automatic quarterfinal seat bid as it clashes with Barako Coffee at 5 p.m.

Talk ‘N Text is coming off an exhausting 92-84 victory over the Kings on Saturday in Batangas City and head coach Chot Reyes hopes his wards have enough energy left for tonight.

“Our concern right now is to recover and be ready to play,” said Reyes, who expressed concern over Jimmy Alapag who suffered cramps against Ginebra because of the poor playing condition in the Batangas venue.

“Right now, we need two wins to be sure and we really have to give our best against Alaska,” he added.

Reyes’s wards last tasted defeat on March 21 against San Miguel Beer, 106-112, but were invincible since then, especially after acquiring Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes in a blockbuster trade with Sta. Lucia Realty.

The Tropang Texters beat the Aces in their first-round meeting, 100-92, but Alaska has become a different team since acquiring Cyrus Baguio from Ginebra in exchange for Willie Miller.

Alaska has won its last two games, including an impressive 99-97 overtime win against B-MEG Derby Ace. The Aces walloped the Coffee Masters, 104-96, in their last game to go 8-5 in the standings. A victory would tie the Aces at third spot with the Llamados.

“This is a very important game for us,” said Aces head coach Tim Cone. “Talk ‘N Text does a great job attacking for the full 48 minutes and we just have to sustain our aggressiveness and stay in attack mode ourselves.”

In the first game, Ginebra tries to get back in contention for a top-five finish with a victory against the cellar-dwelling Barako Coffee.

The Kings absorbed their second-straight loss at the hands of the Tropang Texters to drop to fifth place with an 8-6 mark.

Ronald Tubid returns to the Ginebra roster after sitting out on Saturday’s game to serve a one-game suspension for his flagrant foul on Jireh Ibañes of Rain or Shine.

Kings mentor Jong Uichico said Eric Menk would miss on Wednesday’s game because of a recurring calf injury. Ginebra barely beat Barako Coffee in their first meeting, 93-90, on May 12

With four games left, the Coffee Masters desperately need a win to stay within striking distance with Air21. The wards of coach Junel Baculi are sitting at the bottom with a 2-12 mark, losing their last six assignments to trail the Express (3-11) by one game.

TENORIO LIFTS ALASKA PAST B-MEG IN OT; ACES GAIN SHARE OF 3RD

(From PBA)

The rematch of the Aces in the PBA Fiesta Conference elimination round went down with LA Tenorio laying down the biggest hand in the end.

Tenorio came through with a personal conference best of 26 points, including a huge four-point binge inside the last 2.5 seconds of overtime as the Alaska Milk Aces survived the B-MEG Derby Ace Llamados, 99-97, in a gripping battle at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium Friday night.

The peppery point guard and forward Joe De Vance took charge with import Diamon Simpson fouling out with 3:02 left to play, saving Alaska from what could have been a sorry loss in the contest.

James Yap, playing off-the-bench for the second straight game due to a bruised knee, knocked in a triple with 18 seconds left in regulation play paving the way for overtime.

The Aces blew a chance to win it in regulation on misses by Tenorio and Simpson in the dying seconds.

But Tenorio himself saved the day for his team, enabling the Aces to repeat over the Llamados and force a standoff between themselves at fourth place with identical 7-5 win-loss records.

The Aces were teetering on the brink when Tenorio banged away a three-pointer giving Alaska a 98-97 edge with 2.5 ticks left.

The Llamados then themselves sealed their fate as KG Canaleta committed a grievous error on the inbounds after a timeout.

Fouled right away, Tenorio coolly sank the front-end of his free throws then deliberately missed the second one as Alaska bounced back from a loss to Barangay Ginebra on a road game in Cebu Saturday.

“What a game! It’s hard to describe. It can’t get more exciting than that,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone after the game.

“It’s a battle between two Aces and we’re fighting tooth and nail. They didn’t back down and we didn’t back down. We just squeezed through,” Cone added.

Yap went 2-of-3 from beyond the arc and 2-of-2 from the stripe as he led a charge that got the Llamados to within five, 39-44, at halftime.

The Aces jumped the gun on the Llamados, building a 31-15 lead in the opening quarter.

Cliff Brown stepped up in the third quarter, firing 16 points as the Llamados drew level at 68-all.

Both teams went silent in a long stretch before Reynel Hugnatan scored on a semi-hook off Don Allado breaking the deadlock with almost four minutes gone in the final period.

The Aces and the Llamados engaged in a fierce battle to the finish with Simpson, Tenorio and Devance delivering the goods for Alaska and Brown and Yap starring for Derby Ace.

Simpson put in 29 points and 18 rebounds before heading to the showers ahead of the rest.

Tenorio also made six assists, five rebounds and two steals aside from 26 points while De Vance added 13 points and three rebounds.

Brown was in a zone, sizzling with 34 points, 11 rebounds, three assists and two steals. Yap, despite his injury, scattered 22 points on top of four rebounds and three assists. (SB)

The scores:

Alaska 99 - Simpson 29, Tenorio 26, De Vance 13, Baguio 13, Dela CRuz 6, Thoss 5, Hugnatan 4, Cablay 3, Eman 0, Fonacier 0.

B-Meg Derby Ace 97 - Brown 34, J. Yap 22, Allado 11, Yap R. 10, Canaleta 7, Pingris 7, Artadi 3, Simon 3, Timberlake 0, Maierhofer 0, Salvador 0, Reavis 0.

Quarters: 31-15, 44-39, 68-68, 87-87, 99-97

Alaska Continues Mastery Over Coke

(From PBA Online)

Alaska continued its mastery over Coca-Cola after posting a 108-98 win Wednesday night in the KFC-Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Cyrus Baguio delivered an almost perfect performance with a conference-high 28 points on 13-of-15 shooting from the floor as the Aces notched their second straight win for a 6-4 mark.

"Cyrus had a big night for us," said Alaska mentor Tim Cone, who was far satisfied from their defensive effort.

"It didn't really go the way I wanted it to. I think we could have made it better defensively. We wanted our team to win with our defense. We have to be able to defend the top offensive teams like Talk ‘N Text and San Miguel if we want to go farther in this conference," he added.

Baguio erupted for 19 points in the first period, hitting his first 9 attempts to help Alaska gain control of the game.

"'Yung unang tira ko, ‘yun ang parang nagbigay ng confidence sa akin," said Baguio. "Medyo sinuwerte kaya I grabbed the chance."
From there, the Aces never relinquished the lead and even led by as much as 14 points late in the fourth quarter.

Diamon Simpson added 18 points while Joe Devance and LA Tenorio contributed 13 points apiece for the Aces, who beat Coke in their first encounter by 1 point on Simpson's buzzer-beater dunk from a perfect inbound pass from Tony dela Cruz.

The Tigers have now lost 7 of their last 8 games to go down deeper in the team standing with a 4-7 slate.

Rashad Bell led Coke with 35 points and 14 rebounds. Gary David added 23 markers while Mark Macapagal chipped in 16. - www.abs-cbnnews.com

Scores:

Alaska 108 - Baguio 28, Simpson 18, De Vance 13, Tenorio 13,
Hugnatan 9, Dela Cruz 8, Borboran 7, Fonacier 6, Thoss 4, Eman 2.

Coca-Cola 98 - Bell 35, David 23, Macapagal 16, Taulava 10, Espino 6, Ross 4, Bono 2, Calimag 2, Allera 0, Cruz 0, Rizada 0, Gonzales 0.

Quarter scores: 28-21, 50-45, 82-74, 108-98.

Cariaso Says Goodbye On His Own Terms

(From Inquirer)

Jeffrey Cariaso feels he can still play for two more years. But wanting to fulfill a promise he made to himself, the Alaska Ace guard is calling it quits after a 15-year career.

The former Rookie of the Year, the PBA’s second oldest active player at 37, announced his retirement Monday through a statement. He is currently on the reserve list of Alaska, which made him the sixth draft pick overall in 1995.

San Miguel Beer guard Olsen Racela is currently the oldest active player at 39.

“I have always said that I want to leave this game on a high note,” the 6-foot-2 Cariaso said in a statement. “I want to leave even if I think, and my peers think, I can still play for another two years.”

Cariaso said he asked the Alaska coaching staff to put him on reserve after he was kept on the bench during their first six games.

“I certainly did not want my last conference to end this way,” Cariaso said, adding that he understands that his services are no longer needed on the court.

Cariaso suited up for the Alaska Grand Slam team of 1996 and the National team in the 2002 Asian Games in Busan, South Korea.

Realtors Turn Back Aces in Williams, Reyes' Farewell Game

(From PBA Online)

Anthony Johnson scored Sta. Lucia's last six points from the foul line, including the insurance free throws that clinched the Realtors' 91-87 come-from-behind win over Alaska Wednesday night in the PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Johnson topscored for 34 points, 22 of them he scored in the first half, and was a perfect 8-of-8 from the 15-foot line. He also added 12 rebounds, three steals and a block shot in an all-around performance that gave theRealtors a strong finishing kick by the end of its first round assignment.

Sta. Lucia improved to 4-5 (win-loss) slate, tying the Coca-Cola Tigers by winning three of its last four outings despite the swirling rumors of an impending trade involving star player Kelly Williams to Talk `N Text.

Coach Boyet Fernandez expressed some emotions in his post-game interview, admitting the Realtors would never be the same without Williams, who wound up as the top local scorer for the Realtors with 15 points.

"I cannot picture my team without my MVP," said Fernandez of the slam dunking forward, the 2007-08 PBA Most Valuable Player. "It's hard to visualize this team without Kelly."

Nonetheless, Fernandez is pleased to see the Realtors resuming their winning ways.

"I am just happy to get this ballgame over with and finish strong in the first round. It's a nice win," he said.

But the Realtors had to endure some anxious moments before getting past the Aces (4-4).

They squandered a 13-point, third quarter lead and appeared on the verge of a major collapse when the Aces, behind L.A. Tenorio and Cyrus Baguio, engineered a big 12-0 run entering the final stretch, turning a six-point deficit into an 83-77 advantage.

Back-to-back three pointers by Johnson and Paolo Mendoza brought the Realtors back into the game however, before Johnson came through with his shooting binge from the foul line.

His two free throws with 23.1 seconds put the Realtors in front for good, 89-87.

Alaska then failed to capitalize in the next play as Baguio missed a hurried attempt from downtown.

Forced to foul to stop the clock, the Aces sent Johnson to the foul line and the Sta. Lucia import calmly sank both shots to seal the deal for theRealtors.

Diamon Simpson led the Aces with 31 points and 19 rebounds, while Baguio added 14, 10 coming in the fourth quarter.

Coffee Over Milk

(From PBA)

Finally, all the gears clicked for Barako Energy Coffee.

Behind Sammy Monroe’s 30 points and 14 rebounds, the Energy Coffee Masters pulled off a man-sized 106-98 over Alaska Sunday in the PBA Fiesta Conference at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Unlike in the past, it was not only Monroe who sparkled this time as the likes of Leo Najorda, Reed Juntilla and Yousif Aljamal chipped in more than their fair share to fuel their charge to their first victory since an opening day win against Sta. Lucia Realty.

“I told my players it’s been a while since we last celebrated, so why not try and go for it today,” related coach Junel Baculi.

In the end, Barako was rewarded with its second win in eight outings, lifting it out of the company of former cellarmate Air21.

The victory may also have extended Monroe’s stay here.

Following a 93-80 loss to B-Meg Derby Ace last April 21, it was Baculi who expressed dissatisfaction with the perimeter-playing Monroe, who he said was not the kind of inside-outside reinforcement they needed.

Baculi also related a meeting to decide the fate of Monroe was held during the All-Star weekend, but no decision was reached. The tactician was adopting a different tone after Sunday night’s game.

“It’s just the norm,” Baculi explained. “If you’re losing, you put the blame on the import. But I told him the (reports) are not true.”

Monroe just shrugged his shoulders, maintaining he’ll continue to do his part but said it’s not all up to him. He claimed he has seen some positive signs before the morale-boosting win.

“The way we practiced, I’ve seen some progress and as long as we all continue to work hard we’ll continue to give ourselves a good chance of winning.”

Sunday night was a case in point.

Najorda scattered 18 points and Juntilla and Aljamal spiked their respective 16 and 15 points with some clutch baskets in the fourth quarter to preserve the win that first became a possibility when Barako twice led by 11 points early.

“We did everything coach told us to do, we ran our offense, kept our composure. The whole team was confident,” Monroe pointed out.

The loss cut short Alaska’s three-game winning streak and left it with an even 3-3 win-loss record in the company of idle Barangay Ginebra and Rain or Shine.

Diamon Simpson had 24 points and a game-high 17 rebounds while Joe Devance, LA Tenorio, Cyrus Baguio and Reynel Hugnatan added at least 11 points each.

Yet Hugnatan missed three free throws and Simpson two, the last enabling Barako Coffee to hold on to a 100-98 lead in the last 1:53 of the game.

Monroe’s defiance of Alaska’s box-in-one defense against him reached its highest peak when he pulled up for a 10-foot jumper before Aljamal, third placer in the recent All-Star Three-Point Shootout, drained a triple to cap a 12-point fourth period and make it 105-98, only 36 ticks left.

“Sa plays kasi ni coach, kahit sino ang malibre, p’wedeng tumira. Nagkataon lang na nagkaroon ng kompiyansa,” said Aljamal, who accounted for two of Barako Coffee’s season-high 12 triples.

Juntilla’s career-high tying output was also capped by his third trey of the game, giving the Coffee Masters some breathing room after Baguio and Hugnatan led Alaska back to within 94-97.

Alaska was simply a sorry sight in the endgame, blowing its chances to salvage it when Tenorio committed a passing error and Simpson not only missing his charities but also flubbing a reverse alley-oop attempt off a timeout.

It was also a sad ending for Simpson, who kept Alaska in the thick of the fight with nine third quarter points, enabling the Aces to stay within 68-72 going into the final quarter.

Ironically, it was while Monroe was sitting out a six-minute stretch spanning the first two periods that Barako Coffee made its biggest push yet, rallying most behind Najorda, Al Vergara and Aljamal for a 12-4 surge and their first 11-point lead at 39-28.

Monroe returned and his short stab made it a 41-30 count, before Devance, Simpson and Tenorio kept Alaska within 42-47 at the half.

The scores:

Barako Coffee 106 - Monroe 30, Najorda 18, Juntilla 16, Aljamal 15, Dimaunahan 8, Vergara 7, Reyes 6, Gaco 4, Alonzo 2, Hubalde 0.

Alaska 98 - Simpson 24, De Vance 17, Tenorio 14, Baguio 13, Hugnatan 11, Dela Cruz 6, Fonacier 5, Thoss 5, Eman 3.

Quarterscores: 24-21, 47-42, 72-68, 106-98.

Baguio Skies In Alaska Debut

Team	W	L	PCT
San Miguel	6	1	0.857
Talk N Text	5	2	0.714
Coca-Cola	4	3	0.571
Derby Ace	3	2	0.600
Alaska	3	2	0.600
Rain or Shine	3	3	0.500
Ginebra	3	3	0.500
Sta. Lucia	2	4	0.333
Air21	1	5	0.167
Barako Energy Coffee	1	6	0.143

(From PBA)

Cyrus Baguio upstaged Willie Miller in their debut with their new teams, helping Alaska Milk sustain its romp at the resumption of the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference.

Baguio made a big impact in his first game with Alaska, fueling the team’s mighty comeback from 15 points down en route to an 86-81 win over Barangay Ginebra at the Araneta Coliseum Friday night.

Facing his former team, Baguio took charge at the finish, stealing the thunder from Miller as Alaska made it five in a row versus Ginebra dating back to their Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinals showdown swept by the Aces.

The 6-foot-2 guard-forward tossed in 12 of his 14 points in the final quarter, outscoring the entire Ginebra team in the payoff period.

Baguio and the Aces stunned the Kings with a huge closing run, overcoming a poor first half as Alaska notched a third straight win after starting its stint in the reinforced tourney with two successive defeats.

“We’re totally out of whack in the beginning. Mark Caguioa was going crazy and we couldn’t stop him. Then Cyrus turned things around for us,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone on Baguio’s heroics.

“Willie (Miller) would certainly have his moments and Ginebra would love him, but tonight’s Cyrus’ night,” Cone added.

“Hindi ko in-expect ito. Nag-dasal lang ako na sana naman huag ako mapahiya sa unang laro ko sa Alaska,” said Baguio.

“Ang sama ng laro ko at the start kasi medyo nahihiya pa ako. Good thing, nakuha ko ang rhythm sa fourth quarter,” Baguio added.

Baguio was all over the floor in the final period, going 4-of-7 from the field and 3-of-4 from the stripe, and also getting three rebounds, two blocks and one assist.

The Ace survived after a struggle throughout the first three quarters of play.

Earlier, Ginebra dished out an inspired game playing with a new import in Mildon Ambres and prized new acquisition in Miller.

They led by as many as 15 before settling for a 51-38 halftime lead.

With their new mix, the Kings showed great potential only to falter at the finish and suffer a third loss against the same number of wins.

The Ginebra fans gave Miller a big applause as he checked in for the game a minute into the second half.

He grabbed two rebounds, issued two assists and committed an error before making his first basket as a Ginebra player, slithering past three defenders for a reversed layup.

Miller had a hand as the Kings built double-digit spreads in the second quarter even with Ambres resting on the bench.

Mark Caguioa led their second-quarter breakaway, going perfect from the field with a three-pointer and three twinners.

Back-to-back three-pointers by Ambres and Caguioa gave Ginebra a 27-22 lead in the opening period. (SB)

The scores:

Alaska 86 - Simpson 35, Baguio 14, Tenorio 13, Dela Cruz 12, Eman 4, Thoss 4, Hugnatan 4, De Vance 0, Fonacier 0, Cablay 0.

Ginebra 81 - Ambres 23, Caguioa 22, Cruz 11, Wilson 6, Hatfield 5, Menk 4, Tubid 3, Helterbrand 3, Ferriols 2, Miller 2, Mamaril 0.

Quarterscores: 22-27, 38-51, 60-74, 86-81

Alaska Lets Miller Go

(From Inquirer)

Willie Miller, a two-time Most Valuable Player, was shipped by Alaska to his fourth team in the Philippine Basketball Association Wednesday and welcomed the challenge of proving himself again.

“That’s what happens to players who age, they have no protection,” Miller told the
Philippine Daily Inquirer over the phone Wednesday night in Filipino. “I am not sulking, don’t get me wrong. I’m willing to prove myself over again. I have done that in the past.”

The 32-year-old Miller was traded to Barangay Ginebra for Cyrus Baguio as the Aces and the Gin Kings finally consummated the deal they both vehemently denied the past couple of days.

Alaska team manager Joaqui Trillo said they were just giving in to Miller’s long wish to be traded.

“We didn’t want to let go of Willie,” Trillo said. “We just gave in to his wish. We also see Cyrus as a better defensive player.”

The 32-year-old Miller said that he indeed asked to be traded more than two years ago when the Aces lost in the seventh game of an epic championship series with Talk ‘N Text for the Philippine Cup.

He said he was hearing bad things about him after he missed a layup in the final second of the series which would have given the Aces the championship.

“I was hurt that time, although I’ve learned to accept it,” Miller continued. “It’s bad when you hear some nasty things when deep in your heart you know that you were willing to die out there to give your team the win.

“Tao lang ako, hindi perpekto (I’m human, I’m not perfect),” Miller, whose maximum P350,000-a-month contract expires in July, added. “But I still have a lot of years left in these legs.”

Miller captured his second MVP with the Aces after winning his first with Red Bull. He also had a stint with Talk ‘N Text, which he led to two Finals appearances.

He will take his 17-point, 4.5-assist and three-rebound Fiesta Conference averages to Ginebra where he will join a backcourt featuring Mark Caguioa and reigning MVP Jayjay Helterbrand.

Interestingly, Alaska and Ginebra duel at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

“We believe that Cyrus can supply us with some youth and quickness in our backcourt,” Alaska coach Tim Cone said. “His ability to get in the open court and finish will be a new dimension to our style of play.”

Cone expressed sadness in losing the jolly lefty, saying “aside from being a great player, Willie is one of the real good guys in the league and we are going to miss him, me especially. But he made it known to us the last couple of years that he wanted to be traded.”