Resurgent Aces send series to Game 6

ALASKA showed up with its meanest game face and the hard work to back it up Sunday night and shut down Rain or Shine to take their best-of-seven Oppo-PBA Commissioner’s Cup title showdown into yet another game.

Playing with sustained intensity right from the opening tip, the Aces held the Elasto Painters to their lowest output in more than a year, their 86-78 win cutting Rain or Shine’s lead to 3-2 and forging a Game 6 on Wednesday, also at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Calvin Abueva did everything —score, rebound, pass and get into the Painters’ heads—as he led the Aces into the swashbuckling second straight triumph that now has clearly swung the momentum to their side.

“It was another proud game for our guys. I don’t know the last time they (Painters) scored under 80 (points),” Alaska coach Alex Compton told reporters. “But it still doesn’t change my opinion of Rain or Shine as the best offensive team in the league.

“The last two games looked to me like this is the team that I know. It doesn’t mean that Rain or Shine cannot close us out in Game 6 or 7, but I just hope that we keep on playing this way.”

It was the lowest-scoring game of the series, much to Alaska’s liking, as the Painters got only two players in twin digits—Jeff Chan and Paul Lee—and totally made Rain or Shine import Pierre Henderson-Niles look so confused on the floor.

Abueva had 10 of his 20 points in the fourth period that went with 13 rebounds, two blocks, two assists, a steal and the street ball-style trash-talking that had him getting under the skin of even the very cool Gabe Norwood late in the contest.

Rob Dozier had 14 points and eight boards and three more locals tossed in 11 or more in a very balanced offensive attack that complemented the way they pressed all game long.

Henderson-Niles had just six points and eight rebounds, paltry numbers that were magnified by the team-high five errors he committed in less than 28 minutes.

The Alaska defense held the usual heavy scorers like Jericho Cruz, Norwood, rookie Maverick Ahanmisi and Beau Belga to harmless numbers in Rain or Shine’s lowest scoring game in the last four conferences.

Rain or Shine averaged more than 106 points in winning the first three games and scored 99 in losing Game 4.

The scores:

ALASKA 86—Abueva 20, Dozier 14, Jazul 13, Hontiveros 12, Baguio 11, Banchero 6, Racal 5, Baclao 2, Thoss 2, Dela Rosa 1.

RAIN OR SHINE 78—Chan 17, Lee 16, Quiñahan 9, Cruz 8, Ponferada 8, Henderson Niles 6, Norwood 5, Belga 4, Almazan 2, Ibanes 2, Ahanmisi 1, Tiu 0.

Quarters: 15-19, 37-40, 56-57, 86-78