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ANTIPOLO—Doing things right the whole game for the first time this week, Alaska gave its confidence a huge boost and pumped life in its PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign after a 125-104 ripping of defending champion San Miguel Beer in Game 3 of their Final Four series at Ynares Center here.
It was the highest scoring game in the series for the Aces, who forged a Game 4 slated Sunday after getting 24 points from the flu-stricken Vic Manuel coming off the bench and 21 points and 13 boards from import Diamon Simpson.
“We got one [win] and that’s all we needed [coming into this game]. Now we have another chance,” Alaska coach Alex Compton said. “Today just kind of felt like our day. We made a bunch of shots and we had a bunch of bounces go our way.
“I just hope we have many of those days,” Compton said. “Obviously we’re still down, but I tell you what I love my guys and I asked them to fight till the end and they did. I’m just really proud of my guys.”
Alaska closed out the half with a 64-55 lead, and the turning point of the game was when the Aces managed to stay in step with the Beermen with San Miguel’s usual third quarter storm. Alaska took a 94-77 lead into the fourth.
Meanwhile, former Alaska import Romeo Travis, who was the Best Import in the 2015 Governors’ Cup, gets another stint in the league after agreeing to play for the Magnolia Hotshots in the season-ending Governors’ Cup.
Travis, one of LeBron James’ best friends while they were growing up in Akron, Ohio, led the Aces to the Finals in that conference only for Alaska to be swept by San Miguel Beer.
Finally showing the form of a top seed, Rain or Shine comes into Game 3 of its Final Four series with crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra with newfound confidence on Saturday as both teams gun for a crucial win in the series that has been reduced to a race-to-two at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
After snapping the Gin Kings’ tournament-best eight-game winning streak with a super finishing kick in Game 2, the Elasto Painters enjoy some sort of momentum in their 6:30 p.m. contest.
James Yap was one of the heroes in that 109-100 win and will try to repeat his sterling performance, along with teammate Reggie Johnson, who had 25 points and 20 rebounds.