(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. – San Miguel Beer vs Rain or Shine (Game 3 best-of-seven semifinals)
Game Tomorrow
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. – Globalport vs Alaska (Game 4 best-of-seven semifinals)
Globalport was headed to the showers even before Terrence Romeo was ejected halfway in the fourth quarter.
The Alaska Aces used a 16-1 run during a five-minute stretch in the final period to help put away Globalport, 82-69, last night and take a 2-1 lead in the Smart Bro-PBA Philippine Cup semifinals at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Game 4 of the best-of-7 series is tomorrow at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with the Aces looking to inch closer to a consecutive championship appearance in this conference.
Trailing, 57-54, two minutes into the fourth, Alaska held Globalport to a Jay Washington free throw while dropping 16 points to open a 70-58 lead behind the 12 points of RJ Jasul and Vic Manuel combined and the 3-point shot of Dondon Hontiveros.
Jasul did even bigger damage by fishing for Romeo’s fourth foul and his second technical (for second motion) that sent off the high-scoring Globalport guard with still 6:37 left.
Globalport fell behind by 10 at halftime, 36-26, but outscored Alaska, 27-17, in the third to enter the last 12 minutes tied, 53-all. A Stanley Pringle drive gave the Batang Pier the upper hand and a basket by rookie Roi Sumang made it 57-54 before the Aces came to life.
Manuel had 16 points, Jasul 12, Chris Banchero 10, and Hontiveros and Calvin Abueva 9 apiece, all coming off the bench.
With both teams putting premium on speed and burning transition plays more than execution and judicious shot selection, the scoring percentages plummet in the first half, with Alaska taking a 36-26 lead despite shooting 36 percent (15 of 41 field goals).
Officiating was stringent in the aftermath of the pileup that broke out in the first half of Game 2, resulting in a record 16 technicals and drawing a season-high P91,200 in fines, the largest of which hit Abueva, who was levied P41,000 for reportedly instigating the scuffle.
Scores:
ALASKA 82 – Manuel 16, Jazul 12, Banchero 10, Casio 10, Abueva 9, Hontiveros 9, Exciminiano 4, Baguio 3, Menk 3, Baclao 2, Dela Cruz 2, Thoss 2, Dela Rosa 0.
GLOBALPORT 69 – Romeo 17, Pringle 12, Kramer 11, Washington 7, Sumang 6, Yeo 6, Jensen 5, Maierhofer 5, Mamaril 0, Peña 0, Semerad 0, Uyloan 0.
Quarters: 26-13, 36-26, 53-53, 82-69.