ALASKA’S Calvin Abueva gets entangled with San Miguel Beer’s David Semerad in the highly physical Game 2 of the Finals series last night at the Big Dome. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
COACH Leo Austria did the necessary adjustments all around and unveiled a San Miguel Beer crew that played with the killer’s instinct that finally beat Alaska.
Using a deeper rotation and finding holes in the Alaska defense, the Beermen waylaid the Aces with a crippling fourth quarter breakaway, with a 100-86 win making it a 1-1 series for the PBA Philippine Cup title at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Austria departed from over-relying on reigning MVP June Mar Fajardo and got five players scoring in twin digits as the San Miguel coach gambled—and won—by playing Chris Ross a lot longer, leading to the Beermen’s first win over the Aces in this tournament.
More importantly, San Miguel will have momentum going into the critical third game tomorrow, set at 5 p.m. also at the historic Big Dome in Cubao.
“I’d like to thank you, members of the media, for the criticism I got [after Game 1],” Austria said. “Our substitution pattern was a lot different [tonight].”
It wasn’t only that, but Austria solved the riddle that was the stingy Alaska defense as San Miguel hit 82 points with still over nine minutes left in the fourth quarter on a Chris Lutz triple that gave the Beermen a 10-point lead.
San Miguel blew a 22-point second quarter lead before falling, 88-82, in overtime on Wednesday, scoring just 55 points in the last three quarters and in extension.
“I know,” Alaska coach Alex Compton said when reminded that San Miguel found holes in breaking their vaunted press. “He (Austria) did a good job [in solving our defense], plus they also got contributions all around [offensively].”
Arwind Santos, with a busted forehead and all, scored 22 points and canceled out Calvin Abueva this time.
Meanwhile, Jimmy Alapag last night announced his retirement as a player.
A grateful Talk ‘N Text management made him the the Tropang Texters’ new team manager and the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas named him an assistant to head coach Tab Baldwin at Gilas Pilipinas.
“I don’t know if there’s a right time to announce you’re retiring,” said Alapag, whose full-blooded Filipino parents sat behind him during the announcement. “But you know, for me it’s time.
“Every player, sooner or later, has to see the end of the road.”
Alapag, the MVP in 2011, hung his jersey as one of the league’s all-time greats.
The 37-year-old Alapag entered the league in 2003 as the last pick in the first round—10th overall—before making an impact that will never be forgotten in the local pro league and in the international scene as well.
“It has been an incredible ride the last 12 years,” Alapag said. “[There were] successes, failures, tears of joy and sadness. I feel so very, very blessed to be part of this game, and the history of this league.
“I’m just excited for what lies ahead.”
Alapag, who is second to Allan Caidic in most three-pointers drained in a career with 1,177—just 65 behind “The Triggerman”— immediately said that coaching any of the three PLDT Group teams in the PBA is out of the question at the moment.
Gilas named a new coach in Baldwin just a few weeks ago, and Alapag was named as the Kiwi’s first assistant coach.
The scores:
SAN MIGUEL BEER 100—Santos 22, Lutz 20, Fajardo 15, Ross 12, Semerad 10, Lassiter 8, Cabagnot 7, Omolon 2, Pascual 2, Tubid 2, Kramer 0, Fortuna 0, Chua 0, Maierhofer 0.
ALASKA 86—Thoss 16, Casio 14, Baguio 13, Abueva 11, Hontiveros 8, Banchero 7, Jazul 5, Menk 4, Dela Cruz 4, Eman 2, Manuel 2, Exciminiano 0, Dela Rosa 0, Espinas 0.
Quarters: 32-28, 51-48, 72-70, 100-86