PBA: Aces trump Tropang Texters to give new Alaska coach Alex Compton a winning debut

(Updated 10:10pm) New Alaska Aces head coach Alex Compton rallied his troops after a slow start, and it was enough for them to defeat last conference’s runners-up, the Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters, 103-91, Monday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in the 2014 PBA Governors’ Cup.

Alaska moved over the .500 mark to 2-1, while Talk 'N Text slipped to an even card at 1-1.

The Texters played sans import Othyus Jeffers, owing to an issue with his NBA contract with the Minnesota Timberwolves.

Compton on the other hand, was just a day removed from being formally assigned the head coaching position with the Aces, taking over from Luigi Trillo.

"It's good that we won. That was nice. [The]guys played great,” said coach Alex Compton. "Sa totoo lang ang hirap naman ng sitwasyon ng import nila. It was obviously a clear advantage for us. Unfortunate situation for them."

Former NBA swingman Henry Walker earned Best Player of the Game honors, narrowly missing a triple-double with 27 points, 10 assists and seven boards.

The Texters found their mark early in the first, 6-2, before Walker and Cyrus Baguio got Alaska’s offense running. Jumpers continued to fall for TNT, though, as makes from Jayson Castro and Jimmy Alapag stretched the lead to 10, 23-13.

Talk ’N Text built a 15-point lead, before Walker and Jvee Casio led the Aces in eating the deficit. A Calvin Abueva assist to Vic Manuel made it a three-point game, but Danny Seigle was able to knock down a buzzer-beater for a 31-26 lead for TNT after one.

A more active Walker strung points together from the perimeter and the line in the second quarter, as the import converted on an and-one to tie the game at 42-all. A 6-0 run by Alaska gave them some more breathing room, while Castro and Kelly Williams conspired to take control of the game. Another buzzer-beating long bomb, this time from Baguio, made it a five-point game for Alaska at the half, 54-49.

Talk ’N Text started the third with better interior defense, but Alaska leaned on their run-and-gun game to net five straight thanks to Casio and Baguio, 63-54.

The nine-point bubble forced TNT head coach Norman Black to call for time, leading to a Larry Fonacier jumper. However, six points from Walker negated makes from Jayson Castro, as Alaska pushed the lead up to 11 with under six minutes remaining in the third.

Aggressive moves from Baguio and Sonny Thoss, who earlier snagged the 2000th defensive rebound of his career, netted four more from the line, as the Aces entered the final three minutes of the period with a 15-point lead. Undaunted, Ryan Reyes ended TNT's drought with back-to-back triples to trim the lead to nine points to end the quarter, 77-68.

The Texters found ways to score in the payoff period, but Alaska continued to milk the shaded lane for points. Gabby Espinas and Thoss forced the issue inside to maintain a 10-point spread. Better ball rotation for the Aces led to baskets from Gabby Espinas and Casio, 91-79, while TNT bled for baskets from De Ocampo and Nonoy Baclao. Representative of the game was a play with two and a half minutes remaining, when Baguio missed on a baseline jumper with nobody boxing him out. The athletic guard swooped in for the offensive board before driving in to earn two more.

A Walker pull-up ushered in the final two minutes of the game, before Thoss and Casio closed it out with a pair of makes in the final minute.

When asked after the game if he was going to maintain the team’s use of the Triangle Offense, Compton stressed that he doesn't want to change a system that already works:

"Kung babaguhin namin yung sistema sa isang araw, imposible yan. We have a system in place. Maraming mga championships galing sa sistemang yan. We just have to get better.

"When I was still a player under coach Louie [Alas], yun ang ginagamit namin," Compton recalled. "Today, it was really our players; it's just our guys playing great. Sa akin, basketball ngayon complikado, di naman ako yung henyo na alam ko lahat yan. I need the coaches, the staff, the players. Malaking karangalan sa akin ito, PBA ito e."

Jayvee Casio scored 21 points, while Sonny Thoss and Cyrus Baguio chipped in 14 each. Gabby Espinas also had 10 points, mostly off easy baskets at the rim.

Without their import, TNT went to Ranidel De Ocampo for 27 markers, while Jayson Castro poured in 23. Kelly Williams added 13.  - AMD, GMA News



The scores:

ALASKA 103 - Walker 27, Casio 21, Thoss 14, Baguio 14, Espinas 10, Manuel 7, Hontiveros 6, Abueva 4, Dela Cruz 0, Jazul 0, Eman 0

TALK ’N TEXT 91 - De Ocampo 27, Castro 23, Williams 13, Fonacier 7, Ryan Reyes 6, Alapag 6, Seigle 5, Baclao 2, Carey 2, Rob Reyes 0, Aban 0, Espiritu 0

Quarter scoring: 26-31, 54-49, 77-68, 103-91