Photo by Tristan Tamayo/ INQUIRER.net
More than the offense, it was Alaska’s defense which allowed it to break away from Columbian Dyip, 134-103, on Friday for its second straight victory in the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
“I think it was our defense, not our offense, that really gave us this win tonight,” said Chris Banchero.
The fourth-year guard helped in shutting down the Aces’ backcourt counterparts as Rashawn McCarthy, Jerramy King, and Reden Celda shoot a paltry 10-of-32 clip from the field.
“They were playing really well. We wanted to limit them and I think we did. I don’t think they even got into double digits tonight, so I think we did great,” he said.
That tenacious defense also translated to good things on the other end as Banchero was happy to organize Alaska’s offense en route to nine points, four rebounds, and a game-high 13 assists.
“It’s easy when guys are making shots. All I gotta do really is pass them the ball,” he said, adding that it doesn’t hurt having a guy like Antonio Campbell receiving his passes.
“When you got an import like Tony who can go for 40 any night, it makes everything easier for everybody. He spreads the floor, we’re making a lot of extra passes, so when you got an import and they can really score the ball, I’m looking to make plays and make people better when the import comes on.”
Despite the Aces’ dominating performance, Banchero knows that it’s still early in the conference for them to step on the brakes.
“Obviously, there are still things that we need to correct. We’ll go watch film on Monday because we got TNT before the All-Star break and they’re gonna be tough. They got a bunch of guys so it will be a good test for us,” he said.