Alaska ousts GlobalPort, books return trip to PBA PH Cup Finals

Alaska Aces. PBA IMAGES

Alaska secured its third finals trip in four conferences after knocking off GlobalPort, 118-89, in Game 5 of their 2016 Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinals series Tuesday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Chris Exciminiano started for the fourth straight time and set a career-high 19 points on 8-of-11 shooting in 23 minutes for the Aces, who own the league’s longest All-Filipino Cup title drought.

Alaska dropped the semis opener before going on to dominate the next four games and end GlobalPort’s breakthrough run.

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But Aces head coach Alex Compton wasn’t in a celebratory mood knowing that the real challenge await his team’s bid to win its first Philippine Cup title in 16 seasons.

“I was afraid of us getting complacent,” Compton told reporters with Alaska team owner Fred Uytengsu joining him in the packed press room. “But the guys responded and sustained their intensity in the second half.”

Eight Aces posted at least nine points. Chris Banchero had 18 points, Calvin Abueva and Sonny Thoss scored 14 apiece, Cyrus Baguio and Vic Manuel added 10 each while Eric Menk and RJ Jazul had nine across their names.

The Batang Pier never led and weren’t able to pull within striking distance after the Aces broke loose late in the second period.

READ: Compton: Better defensive effort sparked Aces to game 2 win

Despite the good showing by Alaska in the first half, Compton wasn’t too pleased with what he saw.

“I thought we did a lot of good things in the first half, but we played poorly at the end of it. I was actually pretty upset at halftime,” said Compton, whose team will either arrange a finals rematch with defending champion San Miguel Beer or meet Rain or Shine in another best-of-seven duel in the championship round.

That series is currently tied at 2-2 with the pivotal Game 5 set Wednesday night.

The Aces came out in the second half as if they were the ones behind while the Batang Pier continued to miss and defend poorly — allowing uncontested jumpers and drives.

Jay Washington led GlobalPort, which made its first-ever semis stint, with 26 points while Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle added 20 and 15 points, respectively.

The scores:
ALASKA 118 – Exciminiano 18, Banchero 18, Abueva 14, Thoss 14, Baguio 10, Manuel 10, Jazul 9, Menk 9, Hontiveros 6, Casio 5, Dela Cruz 2, Eman 2, Baclao 0, Dela Rosa 0.
GLOBALPORT 89 – Washington 26, Romeo 20, Pringle 15, Sumang 9, Isip 6, Yeo 6, Jensen 3, Kramer 2, Maierhofer 2, Pena 0, Semerad 0.
Quarters: 27-17, 60-51, 87-73, 118-89