Aces foil E-Painters, near final

Game Jan. 4 (MOA Arena)

5 p.m. – Alaska vs Rain or Shine

MANILA, Philippines - Alaska Milk charged back from a 19-point first-half deficit and outfought Rain or Shine in a fast and furious battle in the second half, pulling off a 93-88 decision to move within a win from a first PBA Philippine Cup finals appearance in five years at the MOA Arena last night.

The Aces mounted an initial rally in the second period, eventually turned the game around in the third, and withstood the E-Painters’ fightback at the finish to snatch the win and the pivotal 3-2 lead in their best-of-seven semifinal series.

Emerging triumphant in another highly physical, heart-pounding game, Alaska now has two cracks at the finals against San Miguel Beer.

But the Aces will have to wait for another week to finish off the E-Painters as they take a break before resuming their showdown on Jan. 4, also at Pasay City playing venue.

“All we got ourselves was twice to beat. It’s not easy, not a guarantee that we’ll get there. At this point, I don’t think anybody has got the momentum,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton.

“I expected this kind of game that until the last possession, your heart is in your throat,” Compton also said.

That’s just what the two teams went through in Game Five before the Aces escaped with the win on big baskets by Cyrus Baguio and Calvin Abueva at endgame.

Baguio and Abueva finished with 16 points apiece and combined for Alaska’s last eight markers with Baguio striking with a three-pointer and a tough gliding jumper.

The Elasto Painters jumped off the starting block, striking from inside and out early on, but fired blanks in the homestretch.

Thus, the Aces essayed a virtual repeat of their Game One triumph where they battled back from 17 points down en route to an 87-80 win.

Sonny Thoss, blowing away his 25-point effort in fouling out with four minutes left to play in the last game, played solid minutes throughout this time, coming through with 13 points and eight rebounds. Vic Manuel proved as tough with 13 markers and seven boards.

The entire Alaska team also humbled Rain or Shine on the offensive end.

Clamping down on the E-Painters with their defensive press in their return from the halftime huddle, the Aces made a big turnaround in the third period, erasing a six-point deficit and darting ahead at 76-67.

The Aces forced the E-Painters to a series of errors in the third and made the most of it as Alaska outscored RoS, 35-20, in that stretch capped by a long desperation heave by Dondon Hontiveros that hit the board and dropped in.

As in their last game, the E-Painters came out shooting treys and stormed to an early 19-point lead before settling for a 47-41 halftime lead.

JR Quiñahan hit three-point bombs to close out the opening quarter and to start the second period, then Gabe Norwood also struck from beyond the arc as they led by 19 at 37-18.

Alaska, however, fought back with a 17-to-nothing run, and the E-Painters needed to regroup to stay in command at the half.

Beau Belga hit a three-pointer of his own to end their seven-minute dry spell.

Belga, Quiñahan, Norwood and Jonathan Uyloan combined for six treys as against one each by Jvee Casio, Chris Banchero, Dondon Hontiveros and RJ Jazul in the first two quarters.

The scores:

ALASKA 93 – Baguio 16, Abueva 16, Thoss 13, Manuel 13, Hontiveros 11, Menk 7, Banchero 5, Casio 5, Exciminiano 2, Dela Cruz 2, Eman 0, Dela Rosa 0, Espinas 0.

RAIN OR SHINE 88 – Almazan 16, Lee 14, Quiñahan 13, Belga 10, Chan 9, Uyloan 8, Norwood 5, Tang 4, Araña 4, Ibañes 2, Teng 0, Tiu 0.

Quarterscores: 18-29, 41-47, 76-67, 93-88