Upsets save Barako, Aces

Two jarring upsets saved the day for Barako Bull and Alaska in the homestretch of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup eliminations. With only the quotient system to break ties, the Energy and Aces avoided complications by getting the job done in stirring fashion.

First, Barako pulled the rug from under NLEX, 91-85, last Tuesday as Nigerian import Solo Alabi delivered as promised. Before the game, Alabi guaranteed a victory and said he’d go all out to derail Florida State co-alumnus Al Thornton and the Road Warriors. NLEX was on a five-game win streak while Barako had lost four in a row. There was no reason to speculate a trend reversal. But Energy coach Koy Banal was determined to close out the eliminations with a bang. So was Alabi. Besides, Barako’s fate hung in the balance.

Second, Alaska trounced Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 104-98, last Wednesday. The Aces had won two of their last three, including a double overtime win over Meralco, but before that, the Aces dropped three straight so the inconsistency was a cause for coach Alex Compton’s concern. Ginebra was coming off a 96-81 romp over Globalport and had to be favored against Alaska because the battlecry along PBA row is when the going gets tough, the Barangay gets going. Alas, the Aces did the improbable and stuck it to Ginebra with Cyrus Baguio, Calvin Abueva and R. J. Jazul scoring in double figures to back up import Damion James.

If NLEX and Ginebra won instead, there would’ve been a five-way tie for seventh with two teams to advance. In this scenario, Globalport would’ve sneaked into the playoffs at No. 7 and San Miguel Beer barely making it at No. 8. Barako, Alaska, Globalport, Kia and San Miguel would’ve finished with identical 4-7 records. Applying the plus-minus system (which is easier to compute and understand than the quotient), Globalport would’ve been +39, San Miguel +6, Kia +4, Barako -18 and Alaska -31.

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But with the twin upsets, Alaska zoomed to No. 6 from what could’ve been a No. 11 finish and Barako to No. 7 from No. 10, leaving behind Ginebra at No. 8. The last four placers, in order of ranking, are No. 9 San Miguel at +2 (or a quotient of 1.011), No. 10 Globalport at -1 (quotient of .995), No. 11 Kia at -1 (quotient of .994) and No. 12 Blackwater at 3-8. Globalport beat Kia by 11 so the Batang Pier finished one rung higher than the Carnival.

Alaska, Barako and Ginebra wound up with identical 5-6 records. The Aces took No. 6 by virtue of a +4 factor (or quotient of 1.021), Barako No. 7 at +3 (quotient of 1.006) and Ginebra No. 8 at -7 (quotient of .971).

The other logjam was for first place with Rain Or Shine, Talk ‘N’ Text and Purefoods tied at 8-3. The Elasto Painters claimed pole position with a +4 factor (quotient of 1.025), Talk ‘N’ Text No. 2 at +2 (quotient of 1.010) and Purefoods at -6 (quotient of .969). The Hotshots lost to Rain Or Shine by seven and beat the Texters by one.

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The playoffs begin today with No. 4 NLEX taking on No. 5 Meralco and No. 3 Purefoods facing No. 6 Alaska in separate best-of-three series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Bolts are in a precarious situation, reeling from three successive losses. They’ve dropped five of their last six after a 5-0 jackrabbit start.  The lack of a big man to control the middle has been a major handicap for coach Norman Black with Josh Davis undersized at 6-6 15/16 and a natural three. But the Bolts are a scrappy team that plays with a high level of intensity. Jared Dillinger’s re-emergence to score in double figures the last three games is a huge positive for Black. The Road Warriors beat Meralco, 89-76, in the elims so coach Boyet Fernandez hopes that’s ominous.

Purefoods enters the playoffs with a four-game winning skein. The Hotshots beat Alaska by 20 early in the elims and P. J. Simon didn’t even play in that game. Now, Simon is back in harness and fired a conference-high 15 points in his last outing, a 95-85 win over Meralco. Denzel Bowles has been unstoppable since his return. He hasn’t scored less than 30 points in five games and will be a factor in coach Tim Cone’s drive to the top. Alaska has won three of its last four assignments and is extremely dangerous. The matchups are classic particularly as both Cone and Compton like to use their second units to pick up the pace defensively. A potential duel between Abueva and Marc Pingris could be the highlight of the series.

Tomorrow, No. 1 Rain Or Shine takes on No. 8 Ginebra while No. 2 Talk ‘N’ Text meets No. 7 Barako. The Painters and Texters enjoy a twice-to-beat advantage so just one win will mean advancing straight to the semifinals. Ginebra and Barako must win two in a row to move up. Games will be played on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday before the PBA takes a Holy Week break. The PBA will return with one game to start the semifinals at the Big Dome on Easter Sunday.