Alaska thwarts feisty NLEX, nails solo lead

ALASKA slasher Calvin Abueva attacks the defense of Glenn Khobuntin of NLEX in last night’s game at the Big Dome. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

ALASKA’S veterans hit timely shots in the crunch last night and lifted the Aces to a scrambling 89-81 victory over NLEX to stay firmly in the running for a top-two finish in the eliminations of the Smart Bro-PBA Philippine Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Dondon Hontiveros, Cyrus Baguio and JV Casio were all held to the minimum, but buckets from each down the stretch enabled the Aces to avert a floundering finish and win a third straight game for a 6-1 card and the solo lead.

The Road Warriors trailed by as much as 20 but made a gung-ho move in the fourth that had them creeping to within four, only to fall short and lose for the first time in their last three games. They dropped to 4-3.

Finishing first or second after the single-round eliminations would mean automatic slots in the Final Four, and the loss put a damper on the hopes of the Road Warriors, who, like the Aces, have only four games left.

“We weren’t happy with some of our decisions in the fourth (period),” Alaska coach Alex Compton said. “(But) defensively, in general, I thought we were pretty solid.”

With a 62-42 lead in the third period trimmed to 82-78 by an Enrico Villanueva layup with 1:52 left, Casio buried a triple—just his second basket for the night—before Baguio negated a Jonas Villanueva basket with a looper for 87-80, heading into the final 70 seconds.

Sonny Thoss led the Aces with 16 points and 11 rebounds, and Calvin Abueva came off the bench to shoot 10, grab 10 boards, issue four assists and block the same number of enemy shots.

Baguio and Hontiveros scored five apiece while Baguio accounted for just four.

The scores:
First Game
ALASKA 89—Thoss 16, Dela Rosa 11, Manuel 11, Abueva 10, Menk 9, Banchero 6, Casio 5, Hontiveros 5, Baguio 4, Dela Cruz 4, Exciminiano 3, Jazul 3, Racal 2, Baclao 0.
NLEX 81—Anthony 21, Villanueva E. 12, Taulava 10, Alas 9, Villanueva J. 9, Enciso 5, Reyes 5, Camson 4, Khobuntin 4, Cardona 2, Lanete 0, Arboleda 0, Apinan 0, Borboran 0.
Quarters: 23-15, 42-31, 68-51, 89-81