For the first time in the PBA Governors’ Cup, the 13-time champion coach liked what he saw. And the triangle offense that he adores most wasn’t even included in the equation.
Cone brought a new dimension on Alaska, and received a result he was longing for in a 107-102 triumph against tough team B-MEG Wednesday night, the Aces’ first in the short, season-ending conference at the Araneta Coliseum.
“We made a lot of adjustments,” Cone said. “We decided to play small and let Jason (Forte) play the three (shooting forward) position.
“Jason’s a mismatch against the fours (power forward) and fives (center) in our league. This is the new Alaska team.
“Desperate times call for desperate measures, as they say.”
The victory pulled off against one of the fancied ball clubs prevented the Aces from tying their poor start during the 2008-09 Fiesta Conference when they dropped their first three games, and the win, most especially, added a large amount of confidence going into their Sunday’s game against a desperate team in Air21.
Forte scored 19 of his PBA career-best 29 points in the second half and pulled down 12 rebounds, Sonny Thoss had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and LA Tenorio added 16 points on 6-of-10 shooting from the field as Alaska got back on the winning track after an embarrassing 101-75 defeat to Talk ‘N Text, the Grand Slam seeking team, and an 81-78 loss to Meralco.
Despite being the marked man, James Yap got away with 28 points, import Hannah Stefhon contributed 18, and PJ Simon added 17 for the Llamados.
“We did a good job on PJ,” Cone said. “That was the key.” The win likewise marked that Alaska can beat a championship contender even without Joe Devance, who the Aces traded to Air21 for Jay-R Reyes before the Express dealt the perennial Best Player of the Conference contender to B-MEG in exchange for Nino Canaleta and Jondan Salvador.
“When you lose your best scorer, you have to simplify things,” Cone said.
The night that belonged to previously winless teams as Powerade snapped a five-game losing streak dating back to the Commissioner’s Cup with a 109-91 victory over Air21.
Jai Reyes poured in nine of his career-high 14 points in a decisive run late in the fourth quarter, and fellow rookie Sean Anthony collected 21 points and nine rebounds to lift the Tigers.
Reyes punctuated a key 16-3 blast in the final 5:35 with a cold-blooded three-point shot that gave the Tigers a 102-89 lead, and the franchise that had failed to make it to the quarter-finals the past seven conferences finally tasted victory and claimed their only second win in 10 past matches.
“Most of the time, we really don’t believe that we can win,” said Powerade coach Bo Perasol. “But we took it upon ourselves to push each other to the limit. I hope we can get our bearings back.” Import Chris Porter led the Tigers with 22 points and 13 rebounds, and Celino Cruz submitted his highest output in three seasons with 18 points behind a 4-of-5 clip from the three-point territory to go with five assists. Norman Gonzales also had 14 points and added eight rebounds.
Powerade actually trailed by as many as 28-20 in the first quarter, but wiped out that gap with a 22-4 assault to seize a 42-32 advantage.
Yet it was how solid the Tigers played late in the game that stunned the Express.
“We all came together,” said Anthony. “We locked up on defense and made the plays.” While the final score may have reflected an 18-point victory, the manner by which the Tigers carved it out did not.
The game’s outcome was still hanging in the balance when Dondon Hontiveros tied the count for the last time at 86 with two free throws at the 5:35 mark.
After Porter hit a basket and Danny Seigle split his charities, Reyes scored four straight points, Cruz had converted on a fade-away jumper and Anthony completed a three-point play off Elmer Espiritu against a lone basket by Alpha Bangura as Powerade seized a 97-89 lead.
Reyes, trooping to the line after Seigle was ejected for throwing the ball to a referee in frustration for the foul called on Espiritu, then hit two more free throws before knocking down that triple as Powerade bailed itself out of the bottom of the standings and dealt the Express their third straight defeat.
“I was really surprised at the way they (Reyes and Anthony) stepped up,” Perasol said. “It’s just a matter of getting over that non-confidence.” Seigle left the game with 2:03 to go and had 23 points and 10 rebounds to lead the Express, who once again never got the big numbers expected from Bangura. Bangura only produced 10 points, four in the second half.
Dondon Hontiveros added 13 points while Jondan Salvador added 12 rebounds for Air21, semi-finalist in the previous conference.
Powerade now is looking forward to its next game against Talk ‘NText on Saturday in Digos, Davao, a match where Gary David, the team’s main scorer, returns.
“I just hope we can maximize what he (David) can give us,” Perasol said.
