PBA: Alaska's edge over SMB in Game Seven, according to Hontiveros: 'Pure heart'

 

As Alaska battles San Miguel Beer for the Philippine Cup championship on Wednesday, Dondon Hontiveros sees only one advantage for his team against the more talented Beermen.

 

"Pure heart," said the Cebuano Hotshot, who led the team with 18 points to win 87-76 in Sunday's Game Six that forced the winner-take-all matchup.

 

Indeed, Alaska has displayed unwavering strength of will in their three wins against San Miguel in the finals. Despite being underdogs, the Aces staged dramatic comebacks to take the series to the limit.

 

In Game One, they emerged from a 27-5 first quarter hole and eventually bagged the victory in overtime. That win proved to be the first of more come-from-behind performances in the finals, but for Alaska, they just took it one game at a time.

 

"Nung panalo namin sa Game One, we just gave ourselves a guaranteed Game Five," Hontiveros said.

 

After Game Three, some fans and league observers christened them as the new "Never Say Die" team, a nickname owned by Barangay Ginebra, after their most thrilling comeback yet.

 

Down 64-46 going into the fourth quarter, the Aces refused to give up and defended as if their lives depended on it. They limited SMB to just six points in those final 12 minutes while rampaging for 32 points to steal the game.

 

And just when they were on the verge of getting knocked out of the series in Game Six, Hontiveros led another climb from an 18-4 deficit early in the game to take control.

 

With the first six games done and both teams with three wins each, San Miguel showed their dominance and Alaska showed their heart. For the seventh and final game, Alaska would turn to its heart one last time. — JST, GMA News