Aces spoil Texters’ bid for outright semis with OT win

MANILA, Philippines - Rossel Ellis kept Alaska Milk in the game while his teammates put the finishing touches in the Aces’ 122-115 overtime win over Talk 'N Text to stay in the hunt for the eighth spot in the Motolite-PBA Fiesta Cup Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum. Ellis, who was pulled out of the match down the stretch in overtime due to cramps, got the Aces going despite facing an 18-point deficit. He was pivotal in erasing TNT's double-digit lead and in giving Alaska their fifth win in 13 matches that tied them with Coca-Cola for seventh to eight places. The Tropang Texters, on the other hand, did not only absorb a humiliating defeat but are now out of the running for the second and last automatic semifinal berth. Brandon Cablay, LA Tenorio, Willie Miller and John Ferriols contributed immensely in Alaska's come-from-behind win as they all did their roles in bringing Alaska back from an 85-67 hole at the start of the fourth quarter. With three-point sniping and decent defense, the Aces slowly erased that double-digit Texters advantage with Cablay scoring two straight treys down the stretch in regulation that put Alaska to within just a point, 101-102. And after Jason Castro and Jarred Dillinger gave back the lead to Talk 'N Text, 105-103, Miller struck back to force the overtime with a lay-up. In the extra period, Alaska immediately took a 110-105 lead but Rashad Belle and Mac Mac Cardona answered back together with Jimmy Alapag to put the Texters to within just a point, 115-116. But with time not on their side, the Texters were forced to foul sending Ferriols and Miller to shoot free throws and sinking the points that secured the Aces' victory. Ellis was pulled out of the game after scoring his 38th point giving the Aces a 114-109 lead midway in the extra period. - Perry Legaspi, GMANews.TV