PBA: Alaska Aces even semis series versus Talk 'N Text at 2-2

Published December 28, 2012 9:01pm

Calvin Abueva (L) holds his own against the larger Ali Peek in the paint. Photo by KC Cruz

The Alaska Aces saw their 13-point lead all but disappear in the final quarter, but they held on with some clutch plays and stingy defense to beat the more heralded Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters 104-99, Friday at the SM MOA Arena, in their best-of-seven semifinals series.

"It’s just one of those games. Grind out type of win. We know Talk n' Text is an explosive team," said Alaska head coach Luigi Trillo.

The two sides have so far traded wins back and forth to arrive at the tie, essentially cutting the series down to a best-of-three affair.

[View the play-by-play of this game here]

Alaska saw their lead whittled down to just two points late in the game, but after second overall pick Calvin Abueva drew Ranidel De Ocampo's sixth personal foul on a charge, "The Beast" posted up down low and executed a pretty spin move to boost their lead to 96-92.

Jayson Castro negated that score with one of his own on TNT's end, but pretty ball movement saw Alaska rotate the rock from Jvee Casio, to Mac Baracael, to finally Cyrus Baguio, who nailed a game-altering triple that put his side up 99-94 with 1:15 remaining.

Alaska's interior defense clamped down on the Texters on the next two plays. Then Jvee Casio managed a split at the line to make it a six-point affair with less than half a minute left. Talk 'N Text got multiple attempts on the next outing, but had to settle for a put-back by Kelly Williams with just six ticks.

Charities by Dondon Hontiveros and Jvee Casio then sandwiched a belated triple by Jimmy Alapag to seal the deal.

Game five is set for Sunday, still at the SM MOA Arena.

A tightly-fought game saw Alaska take the lead early on some hot shooting, but the Tropang Texters managed to forge several ties, including a knotting of the score at 73-all, 3:15 left in the third.

That however was about the time Talk 'N Text's offense slowed down. Alaska exploded for a 14-1 run bridging the last two periods, building the biggest lead of any side at 87-74, 9:31 left in the game, after Cyrus Baguio scored on the break.

The deficit was enough to snap the Texters awake. A 12-2 run by the reigning All-Filipino Cup champs, seven courtesy of Jayson Castro, made it a single-possession game, 89-86, 5:46 remaining.

Buckets by Calvin Abueva and Mac Baracael doubled their advantage back up to six, 94-88, but a split at the line by Kelly Williams and an incomplete four-point play by Jimmy Alapag got it down to a deuce with 2:17 to go.

Jvee Casio was adjudged best player of the game, finishing with 22 points and five assists.

The Aces started the game stroking hot from long range with Casio, Baguio, Mac Baracael and Abueva all hitting treys early on for a 16-10 lead.

Talk n' Text staged a rally late in the first, as a trey by Ryan Reyes, followed by back-to-back hits from Harvey Carey, cut the Alaska lead down to two, 24-22, with 1:34 to go. But Abueva was determined to keep the Aces ahead, stringing four points tegether, 28-22. Alapag responded with a three, but Casio would have the last say to make it a five-point game at the end of the first, 30-25.

Jason Castro and Ranidel De Ocampo teamed up to trade treys with Baguio and Baracael early in the second. Down 47-41, De Ocampo would hit a TRIPLE and a follow-up to pull within one, 47-46, with 4:53 remaining, before Ryan Reyes hit another trey to put TNT on top, 49-47.

Baguio responded with his own three, before Sonny Thoss and Casio converted on back-to-back hits to give Alaska a three-point lead, 54-51, at the 3:15 mark. Castro responded with five points from the line, before Casio sank one of his own to close the half with Talk n' Text ahead, 56-55.

The Tropa started the third with Williams getting an and-one plus the fifth foul of Calvin Abueva, 59-55. Casio then went to work for Alaska, hitting a three and an and-one play to have the Aces regain the lead, 63-60. Back-to-back hits by Larry Fonacier and Peek had TNT leading 64-64, before the Aces went to Espinas for conversions in the paint to tie the game at 69-all midway through the period.

Tied 73-all after freethrows from Alapag, the Aces would finish the third with an 8-1 run to enter the fourth with an 81-74 advantage.

"We just tied the series and make it a best of three. Adjustment are being made all around," added Trillo.

It was a total team effort for both squads, as a total of 11 players scored in double figures in the game. Calvin Abueva bounced back from Game 3's four-point performance with 15, along with key defensive rebounds his team badly needed. Baracael's 12 was also key for the Aces, while Hontiveros scattered 13 of his own, including key freethrows in the endgame.

Alapag led Talk n' Text with 17 while his backcourt partner Castro pitched in 16. - AMD/Renee Fopalan, GMA News

The scores:

Alaska 104 – Casio 22, Baguio 18, Abueva 15, Hontiveros 13, Baracael 12, Espinas 9, Thoss 9, Reyes 2, Jazul 2, Dela Cruz 2, Eman 0.

Talk N Text 99 – Alapag 17, Castro 16, De Ocampo 14, Fonacier 12, Carey 12, Williams 11, Reyes 9, Peek 5, Dillinger 2, Aban 1, Raymundo 0, Gamalinda 0, Alvarez 0, Ferriols 0.

Quarters: 30-25; 55-56; 81-74; 104-99

Tags: pbaseason,, philippinecup,, alaskaaces,, talkntexttropangtexters