Alaska, playing consistent, solid basketball overcame what many believed was a stronger Talk N’ Text team in their seventh game, sudden death showdown for the right to face San Miguel Beer in the Fiesta Conference best-of-seven championship series which opens on Friday.
Having beaten one team considered a giant coach Tim Cone and his Aces are ready to take on the Beermen.
In a post game interview after his team beat Talk N’ Text 90-81 Cone said “We’re ready for the gauntlet of San Miguel.”
Alaska’s win was by no means an easy and the score doesn’t quite reflect how tough it was but in the end the teamwork of the Aces prevailed.
Cone noted “We went through the gauntlet of Ginebra and now with the gauntlet of Talk N Text,” referring to the fifth and final game in the quarterfinals against the Kings and the 94-83 win last Sunday that set up Wednesday’s decider. “After all that we’ve been through, all the tough games, with practically no days off, we’re still ready for the gauntlet of San Miguel.”
The PBA website report on the game said Cone has ample reason to feel confident going into the duel with the SMB team his has beaten in three of their previous title showdowns.
One is his team’s fine showing against a power-laden Tropang Texters squad that was souped up no end by the acquisition of Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes in mid-May and went on a 13-game winning streak en route to topping the eliminations.
Diamon Simpson had 21 points, nine rebounds and six assists and had plenty of help from his local teammates as Alaska survived its third do-or-die game this conference.
Joe Devance, Cyrus Baguio, LA Tenorio, Larry Fonacier and Tony dela Cruz had at least 10 points each as the Aces erected leads of 18 points twice before holding off the Texters’ endgame challenge.
“You don’t get a Game 7 like that, when one team gets the lead and holds on,” Cone pointed out.
It became very dicey when Jimmy Alapag and Ryan Reyes led TNT’s comeback that pulled it within three, the last at 65-68.
“When we were up, like 18, I was thinking: ‘Can we really lose this thing now?’ Cone related. “Right after that they made a big run at us.”
Then Fonacier, thrust into the playmaking roles when Tenorio was cramping up as early as late in the third period, drained a big triple, sparking a 9-0 surge that gave the Aces a cushion they will grittily protect.
“It was hard for us, staying calm through the storm,” admitted Cone. “But Larry hit a couple of shots, eased the pressure off us a bit.”
The Texters’ last gasp came when they moved within 79-83, but Tenorio’s jumper and Devance’s charities virtually sealed it for the Aces going into the last 34 seconds.
No such clutch performances would come from TNT’s players, although Shawn Daniels finished with 10 points and as many boards.
Macmac Cardona and Ranidel de Ocampo both came off the bench to score at least 15 points each, but they were among the TNT players who could not match the poise shown by their counterparts from Alaska.
As a result, the Texters will be playing for third place against B-Meg Derby Ace in a one-game playoff, also on Friday.
The scores:
Alaska 90 – Simpson 21, De Vance 16, Baguio 14, Tenorio 10, Fonacier 10, Dela Cruz 10, Hugnatan 5, Borboran 4.
Talk ‘N Text 81 – Daniels 19, Cardona 16, de Ocampo 15, Reyes 9, Alapag 9, Castro 6, Williams 4, Carey 3, Dillinger 0, Aban 0.
Quarters: 24-12, 47-36, 63-60, 90-81.
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