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Short of being humiliated the last time out, Alaska responded in kind—and then some—to GlobalPort and got their Final Four series in the Smart Bro-PBA Philippine Cup back to where it started.
The Aces slowed down Terrence Romeo and played team defense the way they are capable of, routing the Batang Pier, 100-76, Wednesday night to square the best-of-seven series after two games and again assume the favorites’ role at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
It was the bounce back Alex Compton and the rest of his coaching staff were looking for from the Aces, who took a 107-93 loss in the series opener on Monday while giving up 41 points to Romeo.
Romeo did pick up from where he left off, shooting 10 points in the opening frame and finishing with 18 for the first half, only to make just two more the rest of the way as the Batang Pier crashed back to reality and would need to find holes in the Alaska defense again for tomorrow’s Game 3.
Alaska’s guards also stepped up this time, with JV Casio, Chris Banchero and RJ Jazul combining for 48 points in the intense game that saw a record 13 technical fouls called in one play near the end of the first quarter.
“I hope every single team in the playoffs we can hold to 32 points (in the second half),” Compton said. “The story of (today’s) game was that we had more defensive energy.”
A near bench-clearing incident had game officials slapping technical fouls on eight Alaska players and members of the coaching staff and five from GlobalPort either for second motion or for entering the court.
“Publicly, I would like to apologize to the commissioner,” Compton said of the incident. “We (members of his staff) were just trying to separate the players.”
The game finished with a total of 16 technical fouls called, the last three on GlobalPort players, including the second of Jay Washington with under four minutes left in the third that resulted in his ejection.
Alaska totally broke the game wide open after that.
Meanwhile, San Miguel Beer shoots for a 2-0 lead over Rain or Shine at 7 p.m. Thursday also at the Big Dome.
The scores:
ALASKA 100—Banchero 18, Jazul 17, Casio 13, Abueva 11, Thoss 10, Baguio 8, Dela Rosa 7, Manuel 6, Exciminiano 4, Hontiveros 3, Baclao 2, Menk 1, Dela Cruz 0.
GLOBALPORT 76—Pringle 22, Romeo 20, Yeo 11, Washington 10, Semerad 5, Hayes 2, Maierhofer 2, Mamaril 2, Jensen 1, Uyloan 1, Isip 0, Kramer 0, Peña 0, Sumang 0.
Quarters: 18-18, 47-44, 75-60, 100-76