The Final Score: SMB's Tempest wallops Alaska's Tempo in Game 3

The moment fans saw Denok Miranda in the San Miguel starting line-up, someone on the Alaska bench must have uttered, “Ayan na." No more Mister Nice Guy. In San Miguel’s battery of point guards, Miranda embodies the visceral approach. If Alex Cabagnot plays with excitement, Jonas Villanueva with efficiency, Olsen Racela with experience, Miranda, unquestionably, is out to eviscerate opposing point guards. The message was clear. In Game 3 of the PBA Fiesta Conference Finals, San Miguel was done trying to be cute.

And the outcome wasn’t pretty. After a close first quarter, San Miguel bludgeoned Alaska, 27-12 in the second period. Somebody woke up the sleeping leviathan. Like racehorses chasing a deadline, the Beermen thundered up and down the court, pushing brisk-walkers out of the way, grabbing almost every rebound, loose ball and highlight play in sight. Midway through the third quarter, our collective basketball instincts told us the game was done. If Alaska raced to a 2-0 lead in the series, and astoundingly made it all the way past Ginebra and Talk ‘N Text, by virtue of its restraint, San Miguel bounced back in the Finals by the pureness of its rage. Plus 20 in rebounds, 49-29. Plus 11 in offensive rebounds, 19-8. Rebounding wins games. It also helps articulate fury on the hardwood. Best Import of the Conference Gabe Freeman and Best Player of the Conference Jay Washington were front and center for San Miguel’s Delta Force. They combined for 47 points and 30 rebounds. Alaska had 29 rebounds, as a team. “San Miguel wasn’t physical. Just intense," Richard Del Rosario, FTW on GMANews.TV co-host says. “Alaska didn’t know when SMB would double-team Simpson. San Miguel had the energy of a college team." San Miguel doesn’t have enough spandex-clad enforcers to stage Wrestlemania on a whim. What they have is the military strength to subjugate willing victims. San Miguel took 20 more field goal attempts in Game 3, 79-59. If the Aces were unwilling to trade heavy gunfire in Games 1 and 2, they seemed more than willing to watch San Miguel unload the armory last Wednesday night. San Miguel Head Coach Siot Tanquingcen, however, isn’t just interested in pounding Alaska with a torrent of points. He’s interested in pounding Alaska with a pair of sledgehammers. This might explain why we suddenly saw more Miranda and Mick Pennisi, both physical defenders, and less Alex Cabagnot, whose pseudo-Steve Nash offense and defense doesn’t seem to work against Alaska’s controlled pace. So Miranda got the nod. So did Pennisi. And San Miguel no longer wanted a beautiful shoot-out. Ironically, the ugly one-sidedness of Game 3 saved us from a 3-0 rout. It also brought San Miguel back into relevance. Alaska Head Coach Tim Cone is worried about LA Tenorio and Sonny Thoss. He’ll also find a way for Diamon Simpson to get better looks. He knows they will win with tempo. He’s just not sure about the temper of the beast. The sleeping giant is now up and about. – GMANews.TV