Alaska coach Alex Compton. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Alaska head coach Alex Compton stressed it was not the Aces’ four missed chances late in overtime that lost them the match, 99-97, against NLEX Friday in their season opener, but the lack of ball movement.
On top of that, the Aces turned the ball over 28 times allowing NLEX to get 11 points off the fast break.
“The story of the game are the 28 turnovers and we had stretches where we stopped moving and stopped moving the ball and when we played stagnant on offense we usually take bad shots and that gives good transition offense for the other team,” said Compton at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Alaska’s turnover also trumped its assist total as the Aces recorded 20 assists in the game.
And the Aces’ shooting percentage was also pedestrian at 36 percent or 34-of-94 attempts.
“We had long stretches where we took bad shots and without movement that really led to them getting into transition,” said Compton.
Alaska, when NLEX took the 99-97 lead with around 10 seconds left in the game, had four chances to send it to double overtime but RJ Jazul, Jaypee Mendoza, and Dondon Hontiveros all missed their chances.
Jazul blew an open layup, Mendoza’s follow bounced off the rim, and Hontiveros’ two chances clanked.
“We had really good shots, and we didn’t make them and I’m not upset about that,” said Compton.