IMPORT STOPPER: Calvin Abueva held Othyus Jeffers to 0/13 shooting in the first half (photo from PBA website).

IN A BATTLE between two of PBA’s hottest team, the Alaska Aces earned a hard-fought win over the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, 86-80 in their 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup game Wednesday night. The Aces improved its record to 4 wins and 1 loss, while the Gin Kings fell to 3 wins against 3 losses.

Backup import Shane Edwards paced the Aces with 25 points and 11 rebounds, but it was the RJ Jazul’s clutch baskets that saved the game for Alaska, which held an 11-point advantage midway through the 4th quarter only to lose it to an inspired Ginebra squad that managed to whittle the lead down to a single digit, 79-78, with just over two minutes left in the game. Jazul doused the rally with a trey, giving Alaska an 82-78 lead, and then Calvin Abueva grabbed a key possession and called a timeout in the next play, stopping Barangay Ginebra’s momentum on its tracks. Ginebra managed to score two more points on Jervy Cruz’s free throws with just 16 seconds left, but Jazul scored on four free throws to seal the game.

Abueva was named the Best Player of the Game, filling the stat sheet with 17 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block while playing excellent defense on Ginebra import Othyus Jeffers, while Jazul scored 16 points (3/5 beyond the arc, 5/5 FTs) for the Aces, which survived a sub-par game from Vic Manuel (5 points, 2/13 FGs). Greg Slaughter led Barangay Ginebra with 28 points and 10 rebounds, Jeffers had 21 points and 24 rebounds, while Japeth Aguilar and Joe Devance had 10 points apiece, but no other player scored more than 5 points for the Gin Kings.

After the game, Alaska’s coach Alex Compton praised the Ginebra’s stingy defense, which managed to hold the Aces scoreless for stretches and consequently produced separate 14-0 and 10-0 runs in the second half. Compton also called Tim Cone as the PBA’s best-ever defensive coach, adding that the Ginebra tactician knows how to inspire his players to play better defense. With the win, Alaska continues its four-game winning streak while snapping Ginebra’s own three-game run.



BOXSCORE:

ALASKA 86 – Edwards 25, Abueva 17, Jazul 16, Thoss 10, Baguio 7, Manuel 5, Banchero 2, Exciminiano 2, Hontiveros 2, Eman 0, Menk 0, Casio 0.

GINEBRA 80 – Slaughter 28, Jeffers 21, Aguilar 10, Devance 10, Tenorio 4, Ellis 3, Thompson 2, Cruz 2, Mercado 0, Marcelo 0, Helterbrand 0, Caguioa 0.

Quarters: 20-25, 42-39, 67-62, 86-80

Next games:

Alaska vs. Globalport (Saturday, March 12 @ 5:15pm)

Ginebra vs. Blackwater (Sunday, March 13 @ 5:15pm)