Hontiveros stars as Aces rally past E-Painters
Once again, Alaska salvages a win with a big comeback against Rain or Shine.
Veteran sniper Dondon Hontiveros came through with an avalanche of triples in the stretch, helping the Aces complete their uprising from 22 points down with an awe-inspiring 89-84 overtime victory Friday night and gain the solo lead anew in the PBA Commissioners Cup.
Virtually absent in the first three quarters, the 6-foot-2 Cebuano guard caught fire in the final 17 minutes, drilling in six of his seven triples–four in the fourth and two in overtime–that enabled the Aces to repeat their equally-stunning 83-81 squeaker off a Cyrus Baguio buzzer-beating lay-up last February 9.
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More importantly, Alaska notched its second straight win and ninth overall in 12 outings, virtually assuring itself on one of two twice-to-beat incentives up for grabs in the quarterfinals.
The Elasto Painters, who enjoyed a 54-32 advantage off a Beau Belga one-hander in the third, had controlled majority of the match, only to flounder in the fourth and completely collapse in the five-minute extension period.
The loss snapped Rain or Shine’s three-game winning streal and dropped gteh E-Painters to 8-4.
According to resident league statistician Fidel Mangonon III, the 22-point turnaround was the biggest deficit Alaska overhauled en route to a victory since clawing back from 24 points down in the third canto and beating the now-defunct Coca-Cola team 95-94 in the 2006 Philippine Cup.
Also, the astonishing comeback win by the Aces from a 22-point hole in the third is the biggest this conference since the E-Painters themselves fought back from a 26-point deficit in a 102-98 overtime victory over the Meralco Bolts last Nov. 21.
MVP: Dondon Hontiveros remains a deadly shooter, even at the ripe old age of 35. With the Aces looking for a much-needed spark especially in the offensive end, Hontiveros answered the call with a bang, nailing one triple after another in the fourth canto and in overtime.
After squandering what seemed to be an insurmountable lead, Rain or Shine still managed to take an 84-81 cushion off a Jeff Chan jumper with 3:29 to play.
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Hontiveros, however, wasn’t done yet. Oozing with confidence, the former University of Cebu standout racked up two booming treys, capping the Aces’ decisive eight-to-nothing wind-up to the dismay of the Painters faithful. Hontiveros capped his offensive explosion with a defensive gem, blocking RoS guard Paul Lee from behind. He fouled out with 19.7 seconds to go but the damage was already done.
X-Factor: With starting center Sonny Thoss still recuperating from a back injury, import Robert Dozier has continued his marvelous job in manning the paint for the Aces. Although giving up a five-inch edge against towering Rain or Shine import Bruno Sundov, Dozier somehow held his own in the lane, collecting 11 of his team-high 23 points in the fourth to go with eight rebounds and two blocks. Although he fouled out off a Chan jumper with 3:28 left in overtime, the local Aces clamped down defensively and completely made life miserable for the Painters until the final buzzer sounded.
Quotable Quotes: “Nang makuha ko ang rhythm ko, hindi ko na pinakawalan,” stated Hontiveros on one of his finest offensive performances in recent years.
“This is a big win for us. We scratched and clawed. I’m really proud how we came back. We were just trying to keep the game close. Somehow we found our way back,” offered Alaska coach Luigi Trillo.
The scores:
ALASKA (89) - Dozier 23, Hontiveros 22, Baguio 12, Casio 9, Abueva 8, Espinas 6, Reyes 4, Jazul 3, Belasco 2, Eman 0, Thoss 0, Dela Cruz 0.
RAIN OR SHINE (84) - Sundov 23, Lee 12, Norwood 12, Chan 12, Belga 6, Tang 4, Quinahan 4, Ibanes 4, Arana 3, Tiu 2, Cruz 1, Matias 1, Rodriguez 0.
Quarterscores: 11-20, 27-44, 47-64, 79-79, 89-84
SLIDESHOW OF THE GAME:
