Aces sue for time, pay the price

MANILA, Philippines – Alex Compton threw the question back at scribes who wondered why the Alaska Aces head coach called three consecutive timeouts with barely a second gone into the game.

It was a first in the PBA, perhaps the first in professional basketball.

The move caught everybody, except those on the Alaska bench, by surprise. Some even thought the Alaska coach was making a mockery of the rules.

A few considered it as a ploy.

No point had been scored, no shot had been taken when Compton called three consecutive timeouts.

So, what did Compton and his assistants have in mind?

Inside the press room, moments after the Aces lost the game and San Miguel clinched the PBA Philippine Cup crown, scribes pressed Compton for the answer.

“I just didn’t feel like playing yet,” said the Alaska coach.

There was no reaction from the scribes.

“What do you think?” he said, throwing back the question.

“Bakit ko ginawa?” Compton asked in Filipino.

Someone suggested it was meant to “break the rhythm” of the game.

“Break the rhythm? Possible,” said Compton.

“I really thought you guys would’ve known the answer right away,” he continued.

“Maybe that’s one I will have to keep close to my vest to see if you guys can find out if I’d do it again,” he said.

Compton just did what has never been done before and he wouldn’t say why he did it.

“I think the reason behind that worked for us,” he said.

But Alaska trailed by 10 early, 18-8, and by 21 points in the third, 68-47, then lost the game, and the series, after taking a 3-0 lead.

Without really elaborating, Compton said they wanted SMB to play the Alaska game.

A jaded PBA reporter said Alaska wanted to consume all the TV timeouts early, then jump the gun on San Miguel, press them hard, and leave the Beermen with lesser time to rest.