The comeback kids strike again
No matter what happens in the current PBA Philippine Cup Finals, whether the Alaska Aces or San Miguel Beermen claim yet another championship in both their franchises’ storied history, fans will be talking about Game 3 of the best-of-seven series for some time.
Before Game 1, when asked, I said the series would be close, and that it would go at least six games. I highly appreciated what both teams accomplished throughout the Philippine Cup, the way they both played, how many players on each team stepped up at different times in each game, and how the coaches made adjustments from game to game, or even in-game on the fly. In particular, I repeatedly praised and commended both coaches, Leo Austria of SMB, and Alex Compton of Alaska, for having clearly instilled a new attitude in their respective teams prior to the start of the conference. Both tacticians had clearly introduced a new mindset, a fresh perspective, and their players were responding. Yes, there were other teams that excelled as well, but it should not be a surprise to anyone who followed the games that this turned out to be the Finals matchup.
The first game set the tone. Fans and supposed sports pundits, particularly those who said that the series would not be a crowd-drawer, were immediately captivated by the quality of the game and the happenings on and off the court. Surely there was lots of action, a chunk of horror and suspense (depends a lot on which team you were cheering for), bits and pieces of comedy, and a whole lot of drama. Alaska prevailed in overtime.
The teams took all the elements of Game 1 into Game 2, and added several doses of physicality which some might have deemed worthy of an upgrade to an SPG rating for the PBA. After cleaning up the sweat and blood on the hardcourt, San Miguel had tied the series at one game apiece.
Game 3 though.
I had the privilege of covering the game for TV5, with champion PBA coaches Luigi Trillo and Ryan Gregorio on the three-man panel. After having learned that the league meted out fines to several players from both teams due to infractions committed in Game 2, we anticipated that this game would not nearly be as hostile. There would be less theatrics and more of pure hoops—something both these teams are very good at, by the way.
Indeed, in the first quarter, it was back and forth, run and gun, and high energy. The problem was, neither team scored much. Horrendous shooting, especially from San Miguel, particularly from beyond the arc, resulted in a low-scoring 13-8 Alaska lead after one.
However, in the second quarter, SMB got hot from everywhere. Outside shots started falling, threes rained, the middle opened up for some inside incursions (always important for a team that has giant JuneMar Fajardo), and the Beermen erupted for 27 points. In one of Alaska’s elimination round games, Coach Ryan had pointed out that the Aces do not want to give up more than 20 points in any quarter. They did that in the first quarter of Game 3, but failed in the second, and SMB had an eight-point halftime lead, 35-27.
Coach Luigi and Coach Ryan were discussing at the half how San Miguel had adjusted to confuse the usually stifling defense of Alaska. Fajardo was hardly a factor scoring-wise, but the Beermen were moving the ball to the right spots for good looks. Simply put, the San Miguel five had shots to take, and they were making them. We all had no doubt that Alex Compton and the Aces were devising something in the dugout to try and storm back in the third.
Unfortunately for Alaska, the third quarter was more of the same for San Miguel, as they scored even more than in the second, with twenty-nine points, compared to Alaska’s nineteen. Basketball looked easy for Leo Austria’s guys—a jump shot here, a lay-up there, free throws falling, threes still finding their mark, and the Aces committed turnover after turnover as SMB was not just clicking on offense, but had also turned up its defense. It was as if the teams had exchanged strengths, with Alaska handing over to its opponent the level of defense it had come to be known for throughout the Philippine Cup, and especially since the semis versus Rain or Shine. The San Miguel lead peaked at 21, 61-40, with a couple of minutes left, as Alaska continued to struggle. The quarter ended with Alaska staring at an 18-point deficit, 46-64.
What was happening? The first two games were epic battles. Even if San Miguel won by fourteen in Game 2, the score did not tell the true story of how it went. A blowout in Game 3, a Sunday game, with more than thirteen thousand fans at The Big Dome? Coach Luigi and Coach Ryan were intensely discussing what was going on, why San Miguel was ahead by such a large margin, marveling at the timely baskets of Arwind Santos, and analyzing what was wrong with how Alaska played defense, doubling down, leaving the SMB shooters open, and how Alaska was throwing the ball away, being a tad careless. Little did we know, there was so much in store in the fourth quarter.
In sports, when you’re not particularly rooting for either of the teams playing, there’s a satisfying exhilaration to watch a team try to fight back after being down by a large margin. There is so much to watch for: desperation, hope, satisfaction, and disappointment, among others, after each play. After the Beermen scored almost thirty points in each of the middle quarters, all of a sudden, without notice and grant of leave, their ability to score just went on vacation. San Miguel just could not put the ball in the basket anymore.
About a minute into the fourth, the SMB lead was down to fifteen, a technical foul was called against Alaska Assistant Coach Louie Alas. Whether this was the spark that lit the fire under the Aces, we will never know, but from that point on, the game completely changed. The relentless defensive intensity of Alaska was there again as they forced San Miguel into miss after miss after miss, with a number turnovers in between.
Credit the defense of Alaska to a great extent. As Coach Ryan said, credit Alaska for deciding to play great defense and changing the complexion of the game. From our vantage point, we saw SMB shots hoisted awkwardly. Alaska, on the other end, started making some shots. Everybody was scoring for the Aces. Chris “Ping” Exciminiano, a defensive stopper who had tortured the SMB guards all game with his physical defense, was finishing on fast breaks. JVee Casio, who had been quiet, was dishing and swishing. The Boss Sonny Thoss was the beneficiary of simple passes that freed him up. The Beast Calvin Abueva was his usual self in the fourth. And, the Cebuano Hotshot Dondon Hontiveros dialed-up threes, and the bottom of the net answered. Even RJ Jazul and Chris Banchero joined the spree.
With each clank of the rim at the San Miguel basket, a swish was heard at Alaska’s. Coaches Luigi and Ryan, and I were looking at each other, shaking our heads, understanding what was happening, but almost unable to explain why and how. Alaska went on a nineteen to one run and grabbed the lead on Exciminano’s free throws, with under five minutes remaining. From there, there was no looking back for the Aces. Only one field goal, an Alex Cabagnot jumper at the 4:05 mark, found its target for the Beermen in the entire fourth quarter. The rest of the six points, yup, six points, that SMB scored in the entire fourth, came on four free throws from Fajardo. Coach Austria called timeouts, but coming out of each one, it seemed San Miguel could not execute whatever was drawn up.
Near the last two minutes mark, Coach Luigi pointed out that Alaska chipped away at the 21-point lead of San Miguel with members of its second unit, its bench guys who gave the Aces such a big lift, and asked, “If you’re looking for a Best Player, who do you give it to?” Well, it was so difficult that the honor was eventually given to two players, whose numbers did not exactly jump out of the stat sheet, Thoss and Exciminiano. Thoss had just 10 points, four rebounds, and two blocks, but his defense on Fajardo and timely baskets at the end were necessary to win. Exciminiano had just eight points and three assists, but was perfect from the field (3/3) and the line (2/2). We had to dig deep to decide and, truly, the Best Player could have been one of many other Alaska Aces. They like to say there is no “I” in “Alaska”, and in Game 3, they really showed it. What a comeback to win!
Throughout this conference, Alaska has been down in a number of their games, yet almost every time, they fought back to make it close or steal the win. They are proud to play defense. In the postgame interview, Thoss emphasized that defense is the key, the only aspect they should never let up on. They never give up. Exciminiano said all of them are ready at any time to come into the game and help the team, whether up big or far behind, whatever the score.
We know the “Never Say Die” spirit is attributed to another PBA team, but such spirit undeniably lives in the Alaska Aces right now, today. They may go on to lose the series, we can never tell, but whenever they’re down from now on, they can always look back on Game 3 of this Championship series, for inspiration.
Game 4 is on Wednesday. You wouldn’t want to miss it.
You can follow Charlie on Twitter @CharlieC.
