MANILA, 26 June 2006 — The series many thought would go the distance seems to be headed to an early end.
Alaska placed Purefoods’ head on the chopping block last night after a first quarter blitzkrieg proved enough to carry the Aces to a 91-77 victory and a 3-1 lead over the Chunkee Giants in their PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series. Willie Miller scored 21 points, grabbed seven rebounds and issued five assists and Mike Cortez scattered 20 markers as the Aces took another step closer to going back to a place they were so at home in in the last decade — the Finals. “There’s still one more game to win and believe me, it won’t be easy,” Cone said, referring to the clinching victory which could come as early as Wednesday night when Game 5 is played also at the Araneta Coliseum.
But easy was how it was for Cone and his charges last night as a 29-7 lead after 12 minutes of play proved too big for the Giants to overhaul.
Purefoods was so out of synch that the usually highly-charged offense of the Giants could only score 32 points after two periods to trail by 23 going into the pivotal third canto.
Alaska played with sustained brilliance and did not see its margin whittle down to single digit the rest of the way. The closest the Giants could get was within 10 late in the fourth period, but it was clear that the Aces were already headed for the win.
San Miguel, meanwhile, leveled its series with Red Bull at 2-game each after a 106-82 victory earlier, but not after a near walk-out by the Barako for what the team perceived to be bum officiating. Yeng Guiao instructed his players, coaching staff and utility personnel back to the locker room with still 2:06 left in the second quarter in protest to a foul called on Cyrus Baguio while the Beermen were leading, 41-32. Guiao refused to order his team to return until persuaded upon by team manager Tony Chua.
The team was slapped two technical fouls for delaying the game, but made a run at the lead, even regaining it at 46-45 after two Larry Fonacier free throws to open the third period. But that proved to be the Barako’s last hurrah, as San Miguel dropped the telling bomb that had the Beermen taking an 11-point lead into the fourth period. Danny Seigle scored 24 points and six others chalked up 10 or more, a balanced offensive show Guiao did not have an answer to the whole game.
Seigle’s output was his 16th straight 20-plus points effort, and it eclipsed the old record held by retired Purefoods superstar Alvin Patrimonio, who did the trick for 15 consecutive games during the 1992 All-Filipino Conference.
Only one team has walked out of a game in the 31-year history of the league — the Robert Jaworski-led Anejo Rum squad in 1990.
Jaworski, then a playing coach for the Rum Masters, ordered the walkout in Game 6 of the First Conference title series, handing the Turbo Chargers the crown in the process before being fined a record P550,000.
Red Bull, had it not returned to finish the game, would have been fined a sum much larger than Anejo’s, as television revenue would have been factored into the penalty, not counting the minimum amount the Commissioner’s Office could throw.
