Simpkins had another outstanding performance, leading the Alaska Aces to a fourth straight win with a 106-85 rout of the Red Bull Barako Thunder last night in the Gran Matador PBA Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
"Tonight was simply too much Dickey," said Alaska coach Tim Cone of his prized import, a member of the Chicago team that won three straight NBA titles, from 1996-98.
"He knew when to step up. When he decided to get going starting in the second quarter, we felt good. He was dominating all over the place," Cone added.
Simpkins did dominate the game, churning out 32 points, 17 rebounds and five assists, leading the Aces to a fourth win in his fifth game with the team in the season-ending tourney.
With Simpkins slowly but steadily stepping up his game, his teammates kept in pace, breaking the game apart in the second half and going on to improve their win-loss record to 5-4, surging past the Thunder who slid to 4-4.
Joachim Thoss, Mike Cortez, Brandon Cablay and Jeffrey Cariaso took the cue from Simpkins and all four finished in double figures.
Dalron Johnson actually held his own against Simpkins in scoring but not in rebounding which proved to be the key factor in the game which Red Bull controlled early on.
Simpkins outrebounded Johnson, 17-7, and the entire Alaska team had 52 as against Red Bull’s 32.
Energized by Simpkins’ power rebounding, the Aces surged ahead, 47-46, at halftime after trailing by 10, 16-26, at the end of the first period.
By the end of the third, the Aces had seized control, 80-69, with Simpkins working even harder, firing 13 in the quarter.
A two-handed slam by Simpkins gave Alaska a 20-point bulge, 94-74, two minutes into the payoff period, and it was all over for Red Bull by then.
"We came out flat. But we knew we would come out flat because we’re coming off a tough provincial game against Coca-Cola. There was no real sense of panic," said Cone.
Talk n Text came up with a second-half storm and blew away Barangay Ginebra, 94-78, in the second game.