PBA: Hot Aces rip Picanto

Games Wednesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
4:30 p.m. – Phoenix vs Rain or Shine
7 p.m. – TNT KaTropa vs Blackwater

Alaska’s huge defensive effort in the third quarter pushed Kia closer to matching a record for futility last night after a 102-65 victory in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jeron Teng continued an impressive start to his rookie season, scoring 13 of his 23 points in that decisive frame to lead the Aces to their second straight win after opening the conference with two straight defeats.

Though the efforts of Teng, Alaska outscored Kia 36-5 in that period to take a 75-39 lead. The Aces’ biggest lead came at 40, 86-46, early in the fourth on a jumper by Jake Pascual.

The Aces handed the Picanto their 16th consecutive loss, the third longest skid in PBA history.

Great Taste holds the dubious mark when it lost 18 in a row in 1980 while Ginebra had 15 straight defeats during a forgettable 1995 campaign under playing coach Robert Jaworski.

“I don’t know what to say,” said Compton. “Our defensive energy was a little undirected in the first half that cost us some baskets.”

“In the second half, it was a little more focused. It’s one of those nights that we’re making our shots. I don’t know… in the third quarter, four, five points lang binigay namin. That was the game.”

Kia, which has not won since last season’s Commissioner’s Cup, made just eight percent of its shots in the third, going 2-of-23 from the floor, even as Alaska converted 15-of-26 for a 57.7 percent clip.

“I though they (Kia) really battled in the first half, but I appreciate the effort of all the guys. We got some teeth back on our defense,” Compton said after Alaska controlled the boards 62-44 and scoring 32 points off 29 Kia turnovers.

Carl Bryan Cruz scored 16 points, Chris Banchero had 11 points, five rebounds and three steals while Pascual, Calvin Abueva and Vic Manuel added 10 points each for the Aces.

Kia coach Ricky Dandan absorbed his second straight loss since replacing Chris Gavina in late-December by a total of 84 points.

The Picanto absorbed a 124-77 loss to the Magnolia Hotshots last Wednesday in Dandan’s coaching debut.

First Game
ALASKA 102 – Teng 23, Cruz 16, Banchero 11, Abueva 10, Manuel 10, Pascual 10, Enciso 8, Thoss 5, Galliguez 5, Exciminiano 2, Potts 2, Racal 0, Casio 0.

KIA 65 – McCarthy 16, Camson 15, Tubid 13, Ababou 5, Reyes 4, Caperal 4, Celda 3, Cabrera 3, Yee 2, Galanza 0, Jamon 0, Paniamogan 0, Sara 0.

Quarterscores: 20-21, 39-34, 75-39, 102-65.