Alaska set for Game 2 comeback this Friday

source: Waylon Galvez | mb.com.ph

Even before the Finals started, Alaska coach Tim Cone likened their best-of-seven title series with Purefoods to a boxing match.

So after being hit and floored in the opening round, Cone said they have to learn how to counter punch to keep alive their title bid.

And that will start this Friday as the Aces battle the Giants in Game 2 of the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Finals starting at 7 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum.

Showing the same kind of toughness and resilience on the defensive end, Purefoods held Alaska’s vaunted “triangle offense” to a conference low 77 points while exploding for 81 points to take the opener of their series Wednesday at the Big Dome.

Alaska’s former two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP) Willie Miller did score 23 points but not after missing 19-of-27 tries.

Overall, the Aces were 30 of 83 (36.1 percent) from the field.

“They did a good job of stopping our rhythm, we battled but we didn’t play well,” Cone said.

But there’s still a lot of hope for the Aces.

“I think we can play better than that. They (Purefoods) really played the kind of game that they wanted to play. They’re disciplined defensive team, so we have to be disciplined offensively as well. We can be better in terms of attacking them.”

Although Cone pointed to two non-call fouls in the fourth quarter – first on LA Tenorio and then on Miller – could have changed the reflection of Game 1, he said that they have to refocus for Game 2 in order to level the series.

“We don’t have time to feel bad about this. We don’t have time to worry too much about this. It’s a seven-game series we don’t have time to,excuse the pan, since we’re Alaska Milk, you don’t have time to cry on you milk. One game doesn’t make a whole series.”

Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio readily agreed.

Being one of the great teams in league history, Gregorio expects the Aces to come out strong in Game 2.

“Our defense held up, that’s the only way to beat a really fluid scoring team like Alaska,” Gregorio said. “This is really great momentum win for us, but the battle is not over, we’ve only won Game 1. The only advantage is we started on the right foot.”

Despite his struggles, Gregorio said that Miller got his usual numbers, but what the Giants’ defense accomplished was they were able to contain other Alaska players like Joe Devance (10 points), Sonny Thoss (9 points,) LA Tenorio (8 points), and Tony dela Cruz (4 points).

Game Friday (Araneta Coliseum)
7 p.m. — Purefoods vs Alaska