By Diego de la Paz and Marco Oliveros
QUEZON CITY, Philippines (Eagle News) – Alaska brought the energy and intensity of a team with its back against the wall, defeating Tropang TNT in a runoff, 99-81, to dethrone the defending PBA Commissioner’s Cup champion in their do-or-die quarterfinal match on Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Rob Dozier powered Alaska’s cause with 20 points, 14 rebounds, and four blocks, followed by Calvin Abueva’s 18 points and six rebounds.
Aiding their cause were veterans Eric Menk with 10 points, plus Dondon Hontiveros and Tony Dela Cruz with eight points each. The ageless trio managed to answer the call in the absence of JV Casio (knee injury) and Vic Manuel (calf), both downed by injuries.
The Aces will begin its best-of-five semi-finals series against Meralco on Monday, also at The Big Dome.
Alaska Head Coach Alex Compton said that he prepared his players to execute some of his late-game plays in anticipation for a close match, but their defense held on to score the victory.
“Out of all the things, I certainly did not expect that [outcome]. I was preparing all of my last-minute side inbounds, baseline inbounds…that was how I was expecting the game to go,” said Compton.
“We talked about – coming into this game – how our defense would have to be about near-perfect. As a coach, nothing is perfect, but that’s all I could ask for from the guys.”
In the first period, Dozier showed why he was given a second shot by the Aces, scoring eight of his 14 first half points to tow his team to an early lead before Tropang TNT kept the game close by the end of the period, 21-all.
Unfortunately, Tropang TNT failed to keep in step with Alaska, scoring just seven points on a paltry 3-for-12 shooting in the last six minutes in the second period, allowing for the Aces to erect a 16 point lead, 53-37, by halftime.
Worse, before both teams entered the dugouts, frustrations boiled over in the dying seconds of the quarter when 2015 draft top pick Moala Tautuaa was charged with a penalty one flagrant foul after taking down Eric Menk with a judo-like armdrag that sent “Major Pain” crashing down the Araneta hardwood.
The frustration only grew by the third period, as Alaska kept the pressure on both ends of the floor through the help of their second-unit to maintain their advantage, growing its lead to a high of 20, 77-57, which TNT failed to overcome.
David Simon topped all Tropang TNT scorers with 20 points and 13 rebounds. Larry Fonacier fired 19 points after drilling five-of-seven from beyond the arc, and rookie Troy Rosario scored all of his 13 points in the second half.
Jayson Castro struggled throughout the match, failing to find his rhythm en route to a sour two-for-10 shooting. He wound up with just six points.and six rebounds in the match.
The Texters failed to advance to the semi-finals for the third straight conference since winning the 2015 Commissioner’s Cup. With reports from Chesca Lim, Prince Mark Coz, and Yelle Bacquiano
Photo credit: Peter Baltazar / Sports On Air