With the way Alaska played Tuesday night, there was no doubt that the Aces were not going to give GlobalPort a chance to start a comeback.
And what was more impressive was that the Aces showed their readiness for the best-of-seven title series in the Smart Bro-PBA Philippine Cup against anybody who stands in their way.
Ping Exciminiano exploded with 19 points to lead a balanced Alaska offensive that saw six players shooting 10 or better in a game the Aces led from the start for a fourth straight victory, 118-89, over GlobalPort that ended this side of the Final Four, 4-1.
Game 5 was tied just twice early in the first quarter before the Aces methodically pulled away, totally breaking the game open in the fourth period as Alaska made a title series appearance for the third time in the last four conferences.
“I think we are capable of beating either of them,” Alaska coach Alex Compton said when asked who between San Miguel Beer and Rain or Shine he prefers as a Finals foe. “But both are also capable of beating us.”
“The only thing I want is for us to win four games [in the finals],” Compton said, referring to a very close shave last season where San Miguel beat the Aces in a classic Game 7.
“We are playing at a high level [now] but it doesn’t mean that we will win the championship.”
This will be the 29th Finals appearance for the Alaska franchise and its 10th stab at an all-Filipino championship, where it is eyeing a fourth trophy.
Interestingly enough, Alaska will also be trying to snap the longest all-Filipino title drought in the league, with the Aces winning last in 2000 with a team that had the 1996 Grand Slam team as its core.
The Aces’ best-of-seven title series against either defending champion San Miguel Beer or Rain or Shine will start on Sunday at the earliest if the other Final Four series ends in Game 6 on Friday.
ALASKA slotman Sonny Thoss escapes with an unmolested reverse shot off GlobalPort’s Stanley Pringle and Doug Kramer in last night’s Game 5 at Smart Araneta Coliseum. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
If the SMB-RoS series goes to a deciding Game 7 on Sunday, the title playoffs will start on Tuesday next week.
The Beermen and the Elasto Painters break their 2-2 tie at 7 p.m. today also at the Big Dome in Cubao, with San Miguel coming off its most impressive win of the series.
“We will play who wins [the other series],” team owner Wilfred Uytengsu said in a rare appearance in front of the covering media after he watched Compton inside the press room.
“We want to be careful who we ask for [as an opponent],” he went on. “Either way, if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.”
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