Calvin Abueva Photos courtesy of PBA Media Bureau
ALASKA, with Calvin Abueva as offensive minded as he could be and the rest of the Aces clicking in the second half, destroyed Rain or Shine last night, 128-102, to leapfrog into the upper half of the standings in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup eliminations.
Abueva jump-started the Alaska offense and scored 25 points and had eight rebounds in just 24 minutes, while Shane Edwards fired 23 that went with 11 boards in the Petron Saturday Special game at Mall of Asia Arena as the Aces assembled their first winning streak here for a 2-1 card.
Rain or Shine, with its defense uncharacteristically limp the whole game, lost for the third straight game as the Elasto Painters found themselves in unfamiliar terrain: sharing the cellar.
Vic Manuel fired 20 points off the bench, and RJ Jazul knocked down three straight treys that opened up a 30-point lead, as the Aces reached 120 points with still 5:22 left.
Chris Banchero and Sonny Thoss were the others in twin digits for the Aces, who missed the services of JV Casio, who was out with a bout with vertigo, and the fatigued veteran, Dondon Hontiveros.
“It was just one of those games when the basket got bigger for us and smaller for them,” Alaska coach Alex Compton said.
Defending champion Tropang TNT, meanwhile, snapped a three-game slide earlier with a 108-96 plastering of Phoenix Petroleum.
David Simon had 33 points, Ranidel de Ocampo came up with 20 and Jason Castro 19 for the Texters, who climbed to 2-3 and dealt the newcomer Fuel Masters a second straight defeat in a 1-2 card.
Meralco puts a four-game winning streak—and the solo lead—on the line today when the Bolts battle GlobalPort at the resumption of action at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
That game is slated at 3 p.m. before Barangay Ginebra and Star clash in the 5:15 p.m. contest.
The scores:
First Game
TROPANG TNT 108—Simon 33, De Ocampo 20, Castro 19, Rosario 9, Fonacier 8, Reyes 5, Rosser 4, Williams 4, Aban 3, Ababou 0, Carey 0.
PHOENIX 96—Pinkney 26, Inral 16, Garcia 14, Baracael 9, Pennisi 8, Wilson 6, Brondial 5, Lanete 4, Urbiztondo 4, Fortuna 2, Monfort 2, Forrester 0.
Quarters: 26-21, 51-42, 75-67, 108-96
Second Game
ALASKA 128—Abueva 25, Edwards 23, Manuel 20, Jazul 15, Banchero 14, Thoss 10, Baguio 6, Exciminiano 6, Dela Rosa 4, Magat 3, Racal 2, Dela Cruz 0, Eman 0.
RAIN OR SHINE 102—Tiu 21, Wright 21, Cruz 16, Ahanmisi 12, Norwood 10, Quinahan 8, Trollano 5, Belga 3, Chan 2, Ibanes 2, Nimes 2, Almazan 0, Ponferada 0.
Quarters: 29-25, 59-54, 95-78, 128-102