Alaska trips Petron Blaze

PETRON’S Alex Cabagnot (5) gets fouled as he drives past Alaska’s Cyrus Baguio and LA Tenorio (right). AUGUST DELA CRUZ

BON-BON Custodio scored 11 crucial fourth quarter points and the entire Alaska starting unit finished in twin digits last night as the Aces repulsed Petron Blaze, 93-88, to inch closer towards a playoff berth in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

The feisty swingman delivered five of those points inside the final 80 seconds at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, as the Aces completed a comeback from several 12-point deficits to rise to 4-3 and deal the Boosters a second straight loss in a 3-4 card.

And that performance justified coach Joel Banal’s decision to “look the other way” when Custodio seemed lost in Alaska’s flow of things earlier, when the Aces didn’t look like they had a chance against Petron which played a playoff-like game.

“We know what Bon-Bon is capable of doing,” Banal told reporters with a smile. “You just have to turn your head the other way when he commits errors. And I am glad that I turned the other way (earlier in the game) and he finished the game for us.”

Petron came out in a business-like manner and erected several commanding leads, the last at 40-28.

The Boosters then closed out the half sitting on a nine-point bubble and it was in the Alaska locker room where Banal found the chance to prop up his wards.

“At the half, I was trying my best to convince my team that unless we play that way, we didn’t have a chance,” Banal narrated. “When we played physical in the second half, we were able to catch up and take the lead.”

The scores:

First Game

ALASKA 93—Parada 22, Baguio 19, Custodio 17, Thoss 14, Tenorio 11, Baracael 6, Reyes 2, Eman 1, Gelig 1, Salamat 0.

PETRON 88—Fazekas 33, Santos 14, Yeo 11, Cabagnot 10, Ildefonso 9, Guevarra 6, Miranda 5, Reyes 0.

Quarters: 18-27, 43-52, 65-66, 93-88