By Jonas Terrado
Game Today
(Ynares Center, Antipolo City)
7 p.m. – Magnolia vs Ginebra
(Magnolia leads series 2-1)
Game Tomorrow
(Cuneta Astrodome)
6:30 p.m. – Meralco vs Alaska
(Alaska leads series 2-1)
Mike Harris came through with big shots down the stretch as Alaska survived a whirlwind finish to beat Meralco, 104-102, last night and take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal series at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Harris scored his team’s final nine points, including a three-point play off Chris Newsome’s sixth foul that broke a 100-all tie with 16.1 seconds remaining, to put the Aces on the cusp of advancing to the Finals after a two-year drought.
But Alaska had to weather a last-gasp Meralco bid to send the game into overtime as Harris made just one free throw with nine ticks left, and import Allen Durham raced all to the basket for a potential tying basket.
Durham, however, muffed his layup, Reynel Hugnatan missed a tip-in and Anjo Caram’s desperate jumper at the horn sailed nowhere, prompting wild celebrations from the Alaska players at midcourt.
“I don’t know what the TV ratings are but I hope a lot of people watched because that’s an excellent game played by both teams,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton, who was glad to be on the winning side of the most thrilling game of the series.
“That’s a game nobody deserves to lose,” added Compton.
Alaska tries to close it out tomorrow night at the same venue and advance to the championship series for the first time since losing to Rain or Shine in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.
Harris, who Compton tried to woo for eight years, finished with 31 points, 24 rebounds and seven assists as he saved the Aces from the jaws of defeat after engaging the Bolts in an exchange of leads in the final two minutes.
His putback put Alaska ahead 97-95 but Reynel Hugnatan connected on a three to give Meralco its final lead at 98-97. Harris countered by scoring off Durham’s first foul for 100-98 only for his latter to respond inside to tie it up at 100-all, 41 seconds remaining.
The scores:
ALASKA 104 – Harris 31, Enciso 17, Banchero 17, Baclao 11, Manuel 8, Casio 7, Thoss 6, Cruz 4, Racal 3, Exciminiano 0, Potts 0.
MERALCO102 – Durham 37, Hugnatan 19, Newsome 18, Amer 11, Caram 4, Faundo 4, Salva 3, Dillinger 3, Lanete 3, Canaleta 0, Tolomia 0.
Quarters: 25-22, 47-53, 75-74, 104-102.
