Sharpening the dagger

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Dragged into a defense-oriented contest and needing to come from behind this time, Magnolia took the best that Alaska could offer on Friday night before silencing the Aces at winning time for a 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven PBA Governors’ Cup title series.

After playing catch-up against an enemy that showed up with a lot more fight than the series opener, the Hotshots tightened the noose on the Aces when it mattered, holding Alaska scoreless in the final 4:45 to carve out a 77-71 decision at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao and inch closer toward a first championship in four seasons.

“We were expecting a different Alaska team, one with more fight and more effort [for today],” Magnolia coach Chito Victolero said after coming out on top of a wild finish and putting a stranglehold in this title playoffs.

But Victolero refused to rest on his charges’ second straight win, and instead, said that this one was far from over.

“Like I have been saying, it’s still one game at a time [for us],” Victolero said what asked what he felt of a 2-0 lead.

“We will prepare for Game 3, that’s the important thing,” he said as the Hotshots shoot to more or less put this thing under wraps with another win Sunday at Ynares Center in Antipolo.

“We cannot celebrate, this is a best-of-seven. What we are waiting for is the fourth win. This is not yet over. We’re looking forward to Game 3.

For the second straight game, the Aces were struck down by carelessness, accounting for 26 boo-boos this time after committing 25 in a 100-84 loss in the series opener on Wednesday where they trailed by as large as 21.

“That game was what I expected Game 1 to be like—guys going after it,” Alaska’s Alex Compton said. “But if we turn the ball over 26 times, that’s huge. Credit Magnolia, they’ve been the best defensive team all conference.”

Alaska last scored when Mike Harris made two free throws for a 71-70 lead.

“But if we took better care of the basketball, we would have been there,” Compton added as he, in a rare moment, questioned how Marc Barroca and Jio Jalalon got away with too many “karate chops” for the second straight contest.

“They’re good defenders,” Compton said of Barroca and Jalalon, who have outplayed their Alaska counterparts so far. “But they foul a lot and I wonder why [fouls] haven’t been called.”

Romeo Travis scored 24 points and had nine rebounds and Ian Sangalang added 11 for the Hotshots.

Mike Harris struggled offensively for the second straight outing and finished with 22.

Meanwhile, Paul Desiderio listed his name for the PBA Draft on Friday to add depth to a pool for the proceedings set next Sunday at Robinsons in Ermita.

The 21-year-old Cebu native looms as a blue-chip prospect especially after showing what he is made of in the UP Maroons’ losing stand against eventual repeat champion Ateneo in the UAAP Finals last week.