Game Today
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7 p.m. – San Miguel vs TNT
Tim Cone found his “Next Man Up” last night in Aljon Mariano as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel dealt the Alaska Aces another heartbreaking playoff loss, 108-97, to arrange a semifinal showdown with the Star Hotshots in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With Joe Devance not available due to bone spurs on his ankle, Mariano rose to the occasion by scoring a career-high 20 points to help Ginebra take control of the second half and erase the Aces’ twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
Mariano’s timely heroics set the stage for the so-called Manila Clasico encounter with the Hotshots in a best-of-seven series which starts tomorrow at the Big Dome.
Star advanced to the semis after sweeping Phoenix in their best-of-three quarters series. Ginebra won their lone elimination round meeting, 86-79, on Christmas Day at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
“We picked the right time to play our best game of the conference,” Cone said after the game.
LA Tenorio hit several tough shots in the second half on his way to 31 points as Ginebra erased a twice-to-beat disadvantage in a playoff round for the fourth time – the first came when Bal David’s famous buzzer-beater that beat then-rookie Asi Taulava in the 1999 All-Filipino Conference.
Other victories were in the 2001 All-Filipino over Purefoods, courtesy of Ronald Magtulis’ game-winning follow-up, and the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup at the expense of Rain or Shine, when Jeff Chan missed a putback in the last second.
Ginebra pulled off the fourth in the presence of Justin Brownlee, the import who ended the team’s eight-year title drought with a buzzer-beating three over Meralco in last season’s Governors’ Cup.
His appearance, however, didn’t translate into early momentum for Ginebra as Alaska was led by Calvin Abueva, who had 29 points and 13 rebounds, and Vic Manuel in building two seven-point leads before holding a 53-51 lead at the break.
Then, Cone found another next man up, his motto since Greg Slaughter went down with an ACL, Japeth Aguilar missing two games with a shoulder injury and Devance out after being hurt in Sunday’s come-from-behind 85-81 win in the first quarters match.
Scores:
GINEBRA 108 – Tenorio 31, Mariano 20, Ferrer 15, Thompson 10, Ellis 9, Mercado 9, Marcelo 7, Cruz 5, Aguilar 2, Caguioa 0, Helterbrand 0.
ALASKA 97 – Abueva 29, Manuel 23, Casio 10, Racal 8, Galliguez 6, Pascual 6, Exciminiano 5, Thoss 4, Cruz 3, De la Cruz 3, Hontiveros 0, Jazul 0, Mendoza 0, Magat 0.
Quarters: 21-25; 51-53; 82-71; 108-97.