MANILA, Philippines—Alaska got a huge lift for its bid to make it to the quarterfinals off an 86-80 victory over Shopinas.com Sunday in the 2011 PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Aces, eking out back-to-back victories, stood their ground versus the charging Clickers in the last five minutes of the game en route to their third win in 10 games.
Sonny Thoss towered over for a rebound off a missed jumper by star guard LA Tenorio and converted the game-changing putback which gave Alaska a four point breather with 54.3 seconds left.
Thoss banged in 15 points while Tenorio, who knocked in two sealing free throws with 8.7 ticks remaining, added eight points.
Jay-R Reyes also shone on both sides of the court with 14 points, 17 rebounds and four blocks.
The Aces, hoping to get a ride to the next round despite a horrible record, squandered a 15-point lead in the face of the hotshooting by the Clickers, who dangerously inched within a basket, 82-80.
Shopinas.com, whose chances of making to the quarterfinals are slowly slipping away, leaned on the heroics of marksman RJ Jazul to stay in the game.
Jazul rallied the Clickers, who reeled to their 11th loss of the conference, in the fourth quarter capped by a long two with 3:31 left, which rattled the Aces.
Shopinas.com, though, failed to take advantage down the wire with a missed corner triple from Jazul and a crucial turnover by Jojo Duncil, which virtually ended the game against their favor.
Jazul came out guns ablaze with 24 points, but it still wasn’t enough to carry the Clickers to their first franchise victory.
THE SCORES:
ALASKA 86 – Thoss, 15; Reyes, 13; Baguio, 12; Custodio, 10; De la Cruz, 9; Baracael, 8; Tenorio, 8; Salamat, 4; Bugia, 4; Eman, 3.
SHOPINAS .COM 80 – Jazul, 24; Duncil, 13; Sena, 8; Hubalde, 8; Sison, 7; Espiritu, 7; Escobal, 6; Ritualo, 3; Mirza, 2; Daa, 2; Menor, 0; Aquino, 0; Se, 0.
QUARTERSCORES: 19-18, 45-40, 71-58, 86-80