PBA: Alaska dominates anew, one away from sweeping weary Ginebra

(Updated 10:40pm) Barangay Ginebra San Miguel whittled down a 24-point lead to 10 late in the fourth quarter, before buckets from Rob Dozier and Sonny Thoss secured a 104-90 win for the Alaska Aces, in game two of their best-of-five PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals series, Friday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

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

Alaska had taken game one in a rout, before settling for a final score of 87-70, Wednesday.

Aces center Sonny Thoss was the best player of the game with 16 points and eight rebounds.

"There's a lot of pride, a lot of tradition on that other side," said Alaska head coach Luigi Trillo. "Sunday will be a test for them as a team. Ginebra came out with so much intensity. Check lang namin emotions namin. Naka-focus kami sa prize namin."

Ginebra tried to change its fate by making an adjustment early on, putting in Josh Urbiztondo instead of Chris Ellis in the starting five.

The move paid off at the start, with LA Tenorio and Urbiztondo erecting a 17-11 lead off four early triples. However, the Aces were undeterred, as an and-one play from Sonny Thoss, a pair of technical free throws, and a Rob Dozier follow-up slam put Alaska ahead, 19-18 with 2:03 remaining.

A 6-1 run from reserves Gabby Espinas and Dondon Hontiveros gave the Aces a 25-20 lead with 26 seconds remaining in the first, but a late three from Ellis allowed Ginebra to trail by just two after the initial exchange, 25-23.

A spate of free throws kept Alaska ahead early in the second, and after Ellis connected to make it a two-point game, 31-29 with 8:25 left, eight unanswered by the Aces gave Alaska their first double-digit lead of the game, 39-29.

Kerby Raymundo broke his side's silence, making it 39-31 with 3:40 before the break. The lead stayed at eight temporarily, as Cyrus Baguio and Jvee Casio nailed twin triples, while Dozier drove in for two more markers, for a commanding 49-33 advantage. An Ellis drive served as a meek reply for Ginebra, before a deuce from Espinas and another Casio triple capped off the quarter with the Aces riding high, 54-37.

The Aces did not let up come the third, as they connected from the perimeter with ease. Baskets from Baguio, Casio and Abueva midway through the period gave Alaska a 68-44 lead for their largest lead of the game.

Rob Labagala tried to inject some life into Ginebra, hitting a three and leading the Barangay on the break. Back-to-back baskets from Jayjay Helterbrand ate further into the Alaska lead, making it 74-56 with one more canto to unravel.

Reserve big man Nic Belasco epitomized just how much of a groove Alaska was in, hitting a three at the dawn of the final quarter, to stretch the lead anew for the Aces, to 21, 77-56. Ginebra however went on to stage a run of its own, an 8-1 flurry that cut the lead to 14, 78-64 with 8:37 left.

It was at that moment that the Aces turned to their secret weapon, veteran gunner Dondon Hontiveros. Hontiveros drained three straight triples to cancel out every Ginebra basket on the the other end, for an 87-68 tally with 7:11 remaining. A Sonny Thoss connection then made it a 21-point game anew.

Coach Alfrancis Chua's squad tried to go for it for one last time, as seven points from JJ Helterbrand anchored an 11-2 run, 91-79, 2:42 left. After a Dozier basket at the 2:23 mark made it a 14-point game, Macklin and Tenorio strung four together to cut the lead to just 10 with 97 seconds remaining.

A Dozier split from the line, followed by a Thoss and-one negated a Baracael trey, 97-86, 49 seconds remaining. A quick Kerby Raymundo make followed, but with time not on their side, the backcourt of Baguio and Casio were tested at the foul stripe. Both passed with flying colors, as they went 4-for-4 in the last 45 seconds, to arrive at the final score.

Game three is set for Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. - AMD, GMA News