Harris, Alaska rip Magnolia in Game 3 to avoid 0-3 hole

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

ANTIPOLO CITY, Philippines—Alaska has had enough disappointment and let its frustrations out to crush Magnolia, 100-71, in Game 3 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals Sunday at Ynares Center here.

The Aces avoided a 0-3 series deficit behind the third quarter explosion of Mike Harris.

Up, 50-36, after a 25-10 run to end the second quarter, the Aces unleashed their best punch yet.

Harris went nuclear in the penultimate quarter and scored 18 straight points to put Alaska ahead, 73-49,with a little over three minutes remaining.

The locals then, followed it up with a 10-0 run capped off by a Vic Manuel layup capped off with a driving layup for an 83-49 Aces left with 41 seconds left.

Despite the dominant win, Alaska head coach Alex Compton assured that a game like this one wouldn’t happen again in this series and he expects Magnolia to grind it once more in the remainder of the series.

“I can almost guarantee you that there won’t be any other game like this,” said Compton. “They’re too good, too wee-coached, too talented. I expect Game 4 to be more like Game 2 [which ended 77-71].”

Magnolia also got the misfortune of watching stars Jio Jalalon and Romeo Travis suffer some bruises in the game.

Jalalon bumped his head on the floor in the fourth quarter while Travis suffered from an apparent ankle injury but a diagnosis is not yet available as of writing time.

Harris finished with 36 points, 22 in the third quarter alone, and 18 rebounds while Vic Manuel added 14 points.

Chris Banchero orchestrated the Aces’ offense with 12 points and 11 assists while Carl Bryan Cruz gave some spark off the bench with 10 points in 15 minutes of play.

Travis had 18 points for the Hotshots.