Alaska outshines Star, enters final
Alaska Milk stripped Star of the last jewel from its grand slam season as the playoff top seed kept its blazing ride and carved out an 82-77 win to complete an emphatic three-game sweep of the Hotshots in their PBA Governors Cup Final Four showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.
From four points down at 71-75 in the last four minutes, do-it-all import Romeo Travis led the Aces to an 11-2 windup to finish off the Hotshots and gain a second finals in PBA Season 40.
Travis scored clutch baskets and issued important assists in that closing run, highlighting a near triple-double performance that was a huge factor as the Aces delivered the knockout punch, ending the Hotshots’ two-year reign as Governors Cup champs.
The Aces hope to succeed the Hotshots, going for the jugular either against the San Miguel Beermen or the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. It could be a repeat of the Philippine Cup finals between Alaska and SMB.
San Miguel and Rain or Shine break the 1-1 tie in their semis series in Game Three at 7 p.m. tonight, also at the Big Dome.
“I’m excited of the finals. We’ll be up against a tough rival against either team,” said Alaska Milk coach Alex Compton.
In their conquest of the Hotshots, Compton said their mindset wasn’t about stopping Star’s reign but just about the competition.
“We didn’t talk about their status. It’s about winning a basketball game, about we doing the right thing and nothing else,” said Compton.
The young bench tactician pushed the right buttons throughout the series, thus completing a rare sweep. The Aces took Game One at 97-91 and Game Two at 95-74.
With their back against the wall, the Hotshots came out strong and dominated the first half that ended at 46-37 in their favor.
But as in the first two games, the Aces stayed calm and composed, getting into the game at the outset of the third and went for the kill at the finish.
Travis, who collected 19 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, three blocks and two steals in a sterling all-around effort, himself delivered the lethal blows on a drive, a three-point shot and an assist to Vic Manuel that made it 81-77 with time down to 30.1 seconds.
Manuel finished with 14 points with Cyrus Baguio and Rome dela Rosa adding 11 apiece.
James Yap and Joe Devance combined for 5-of10 three-point shooting while Marqus Blakely and Marc Pingris struck inside with eight points apiece as the Hotshots took the half at 46-37.
The two teams engaged in five deadlocks and two lead changes before the Hotshots established control, erecting a first double-digit spread at 4434 on a trey by Devance.
The Hotshots carried a nine-point lead over into the final half with a better outside shooting. The Aces converted just one of eight three-point attempts in the first 24 minutes of play.
Then the Aces hit their rhythm at the start of the second half, racing ahead at 49-48 on a 12-2 binge by Jvee Casio and Calvin Abueva.
The count was tied at 56-all when Alaska coach Alex Compton rested Travis in the last three minutes of the third period. In that stretch, Star worked on a nine-to-nothing tear to regain the lead at 65-58.
But the Aces just won’t fade.