The Aces came out smoking and eased out the Talk N Text Phone Pals, 82-63, while the Tigers defied the odds anew and booted out the Sta. Lucia Realtors, 64-61, in their quarterfinal knockout duels.
Writing finis on Talk N Text’s and Sta. Lucia’s campaign this season, Alaska and Coca-Cola gained the right to challenge Red Bull and San Miguel, respectively, in the best-of-three semifinals.
Game One is Wednesday at the Philsports Arena with the Aces and the Thunder taking the floor first at 5:30 p.m., then the Tigers and the Beermen at 7:30 p.m.
"We had seven days to prepare for this game. In those seven days, we challenged the boys to have something done in our preparation," said coach Tim Cone as his Aces stayed in the running to keep a streak of an All-Filipino crown won in every other year since 1996.
"To paraphrase what (Shell) coach Perry Ronquillo had said: "We’re not invited in the party but we have gatecrashed it," said coach Chot Reyes as his Tigers stayed in the hunt for a Cinderella finish in the tourney. No team has yet to win the All-Filipino crown in its rookie year in the league.
"Three huge teams will be there (semifinals) together with this one grade-school team. Hopefully, this tournament turns out to be for little men," added Reyes, underscoring the fact that his team became so small on the ouster of Chris Bolado and Estong Ballesteros and with Rafi Reavies practically playing with just one hand.
The Tigers bucked all of these on sheer guts.
They were so gutsy that they even outperformed the taller Realtors on the battle off the boards, thus keeping their vaunted transition game working. Coca-Cola outrebounded Sta. Lucia, 43-35.
And with the game going down the wire, the Tigers used hustle plays to clinch the hard-earned victory that forged the rematch of their quarterfinals showdown with the Beermen in the Commissioner’s Cup early this year.
"San Miguel is a talented team with so much experience. We’ll just see what we can do," said Reyes on their semis tiff with the Beermen.
Jeffrey Cariaso exploded for 32 points but Ato Morano seized the thunder at the finish on his clutch hustle plays, including a block on Marlou Aquino with time down to eight seconds and Coca-Cola protecting only a two-point edge, 63-61.
Quickly fouled by Gerard Francisco, Morano sank one charity to give Coca-Cola more breathing at 64-61 with 7.6 ticks left.
Dennis Espino muffed a three-point attempt with a second left in the clock.