ALASKA ACES and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, two teams expected to compete for the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup title, showed up with imports that were radically different from each other.
Alaska paraded finesse-playing Antonio Campbell who is playing overseas for the first time in his career.
Rain or Shine had the pudgy Reggie Johnson who was deceptively strong, deceptively quick but deadly accurate with his passes and outside shooting.
The last time the Aces paraded a wiry, do-everything forward in Rob Dozier who was playing overseas for the first time in his career, they wound up winning the 2013 PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown.
The last time the Elasto Painters fielded a big, hulking but overweight import in Pierre Henderson-Niles they wound up winning the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The two played their first game this conference last Friday with the Elasto Painters needing an extra period to hold off Alaska, 109-103, to start its PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign on the right track.
Campbell was spectacular as he finished with 40 points built around eight three-pointers that went with 20 boards, five assists, two blocks, and one steal, against seven turnovers in over 41 minutes.
Johnson didn’t do too badly either with 32 points and 22 boards for the Elasto Painters. Additionally he was able to lead his team to victory.
The Elasto Painters lost a fat double-digit lead in regular time. They however regained their bearings in time to pull off the scrambling victory over the Alaska in overtime.
Silenced all game long, Beau Belga found his touch when it counted the most as he scored six of his nine points in extra time to put the Elasto Painters up for good.
Chris Banchero received a long inbound pass from Campbell. He then converted a desperation buzzer-beating three-pointer to send the game into overtime.
Maverick Ahanmisi atoned for a mistake in the last possession of regulation by scoring the critical points in the extra period.
Alaska would have lost the game in regulation time if not for an error by Ahanmisi. The Elasto Painters were up by one, 91-92, when Calvin Abueva lost control of the ball allowing Ahanmisi to pounce on it. Instead of wasting away the remaining time Ahanmisi went for a splash ending and converted a fastbreak layup.
The Elasto Painters celebrated after that. But the Aces were not done yet. Campbell threw the ball to other side of the court to Banchero, who took a dribble then launched a desperation triple that banked against the board and into the rim sending the game into overtime.
Belga played an instrumental role in overtime. He scored the first two points to put Rain or Shine up for good, before knocking down a left-wing triple that gave them a 105-100 lead with 24 seconds left.
Campbell buried a quick triple to pull the Aces to within two and then fouled Ahanmisi. The Alaska import missed two charities to give Alaska a chance. But it wasn’t meant to be. Ahanmisi stole the ball then went for a layup that gave Rain or Shine a two-possession lead.
Chris Tiu was also steady for Rain or Shine. He scored 18 points, including three triples, six assists, three boards, and one steal in 29 minutes of action.