Alaska keeps top spot, deals GlobalPort sixth loss in a row

Jondan Salvador vs Rob Dozier and Tony Delacruz PBA IMAGE / Nuki Sabio

MANILA, Philippines—Alaska turned back GlobalPort, 93-85, Sunday night in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Import Robert Dozier scored 26 points on nine-of-12 shooting from the field and grabbed 18 rebounds for the Aces, who held off an early fourth-quarter run by Batang Pier to get back into the winning track and improve to 7-2.

“I thought we did a better job today with our turnovers, 11 turnovers today, better job of taking care of the ball and playing within our flow,” said Alaska head coach Luigi Trillo, whose team lost to Air21, 68-74, last Friday.

The Aces also got help from their locals with Calvin Abueva netting 15 points to go along with seven rebounds while Cyrus Baguio had 10 and Raffy Reyes, who started in place of the injured JVee Casio, shot eight points.

GlobalPort, which suffered its sixth straight setback, came to within four, 72-76, on a basket by Willie Miller with 8:21 left after trailing by as much as 16 points in the second period.

Reyes answered back with a jumper to break GlobalPort’s momentum before Abueva, who had seven points alone in the final frame, pushed Alaska’s lead back to double-digits-sealing the game-with a three-point play, 85-75, and drawing struggling Walter Sharpe’s sixth foul in the process.

Sharpe was hobbled by foul trouble all throughout the game and finished with just two points on one-of-seven shooting from the field in 20 minutes. He picked up his fourth foul with still over eight minutes left in the second quarter.

“Hirap ng pinagdaanan namin nung last game namin,” said Abueva, who added that Alaska’s league-best record was something he didn’t expect to happen. “Pinaghirapan talaga namin ito.”

Trillo said he would try to play Casio on Wednesday against San Mig Coffee.

“But if he’s hurting, I’m not going to risk his whole career.”

The scores:

ALASKA 93 – Dozier 26, Abueva 15, Baguio 10, Reyes 8, Espinas 8, Jazul 7, Thoss 6, Hontiveros 5, Ramos 4, Dela Cruz 4.

GLOBALPORT 85 – Miller 22, David 20, Mercado 13, Aguilar 8, Yee 7, Aljamal 4, Antonio 4, Mandani 3, Sharpe 2, Adducul 2, Juntilla 0, Salvador 0.

Quarters: 22-13, 48-36, 71-61, 93-85