By Diego de la Paz
QUEZON CITY, PHILIPPINES (Eagle News) – Alaska foiled another Rain or Shine title attempt, scoring an 86-78 result to move within a win of levelling its best-of-seven PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals series on Sunday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
In a fierce battle until the final buzzer, neither team led more than nine points in the match. But late in the ballgame, best player of the conference awardee Calvin Abueva punched through 10 points, including back-to-back close-range shots with 1:18 left on the clock to seal the victory for the Aces.
Abueva tallied 20 points in the match with 13 rebounds to lead Alaska’s cause. Rob Dozier contributed 14 points and eight rebounds, while gunners RJ Jazul and Dondon Hontiveros had 13 and 12, respectively.
Game 6 of the series is set this Wednesday, May 18, still at the Big Dome.
Head Coach Alex Compton lamented that the team could have done this effort much earlier, but is nevertheless pleased with Alaska’s effort in the last two games.
“[The win] does not change my opinion that [Rain or Shine] is the best offensive team in the league, but it makes me proud of my guys the way they played defense. I wish we had played that way earlier,” said Compton.
“We had to defend them well. They were going to come out a lot tougher and they’re gonna pressure us. We had to be mentally strong, and they were mentally strong. They made a bunch of plays in the end,” he added. “The last two games were more of the [Alaska] team that I know. I just want us to play that way.”
Jeff Chan fired 17 markers and Paul Lee added 16 for Rain or Shine, which made a complete 180 degree turn from its impressive showing in the first three games of the series. Import Pierre Henderson-Niles continued to be a non-factor, managing to just put up a paltry six points and eight rebounds.
