THE Alaska Aces sealed a berth in the Quarterfinals of the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup with a 100-85 victory over the NLEX Road Warriors Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Aces, known to be a defense-oriented squad, relied on their explosive offense this time around to grab the early advantage and go on to coast to the lopsided victory.
NLEX started the fourth with a 6-0 explosion with Asi Taulava scoring off another bank shot to cut the Alaska lead to just five points, 75-70. But the Aces countered with a 10-2 run to create some separation as Alaska posted a 13-point, 85-72, advantage with 7:40 left to play.
The Aces protected that advantage the rest of the way to post the rout over NLEX.
With victory the Aces (6 wins, 5 losses) advanced to the playoffs at sixth spot. NLEX (5-6)—which had already qualified to the playoffs regardless of the result of the match—wound up at seventh place ahead of the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters (5-6) and the Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters (4-6).
Out of contention are the GlobalPort Batang Pier (4-7), the Star Hotshots (2-8) and the Blackwater Elite (1-9).
TNT KaTropa (9-1), Barangay Ginebra (8-2), the San Miguel Beermen (7-3), the Meralco Bolts (6-5) and the Mahindra Enforcer (6-5) have already qualified.
Alaska’s Calvin Abueva penetrated from the perimeter then pulled up for a mid-range jumpshot to start an 8-0 Alaska run which turned a 12-14 deficit into a 20-14 advantage for the Aces.
The Road Warriors countered with a field goal by Sean Anthony and a triple by Henry Walker against field goals by Noy Baclao and returning Vic Manuel as the Aces held on to a 24-19 advantage after the first quarter.
Asi Taulava and Sean Anthony led the NLEX counterattack early in the second period. Taulava banked the ball off the glass and into the net to cap a 14-10 NLEX run which cut the Alaska lead to just a point, 34-33, with 5:18 left to play in the half.
Alaska responded with a 7-0 run by Sonny Thoss, buck Henton and Calvin Abueva to push the Aces ahead 41-33. Walker almost tore the ring from the backboard with a vicious two-handed dunk to peg the count at 41-35.
The Aces then forced a turnover and Henton dribbled coast-to-coast to convert a fastbreak layup to cap a 9-0 Alaska run as the Aces went ahead by 15 points, 50-35.
Walker slammed in another vicious dunk while RJ Jazul countered with a nifty drop pass to Henton who converted an easy layup to push the Aces to a 15-point, 52-37 halftime advantage.
Seldom used Glenn Khobuntin gave the NLEX Road Warriors a big lift in the third period. He came out of nowhere to blindside the Alaska scouting report by contributing eight important points in the third period. This enabled the NLEX Road Warriors to cut into the Alaska lead which they cut to just nine points, 75-64, after three quarters.
The scores:
ALASKA 100 – Henton 27, Jazul 14, Manuel 13, Thoss 10, Abueva 10, , Casio 7, Racal 6, Banchero 3, Exciminiano 3, Hontiveros 3, Baclao 2, Dela Rosa 2, Magat 0, Dela Cruz 0, Galliguez 0.
NLEX 85 – Walker 29, Taulava 14, Anthony 11, Khobuntin 10, Villanueva E. 9, Villanueva J. 4, Akl 3, Arboleda 3, Baracael 2, Alas 0, Camson 0, Monfort 0, Reyes 0, Soyud 0, Lanete 0.
Quarterscores: 24-19, 52-37, 75-64, 100-85