MANILA: Alaska is continuing to give out clinics on how to play the endgame right.

Never losing composure all night, the Aces did all the right stuff when winning time came and nipped Star, 82-77, that ended the Hotshots’ reign as PBA Governors’ Cup champs and made Alaska the first finalist in the last tournament of the season.

Needing a big game to close out the Hotshots, the Aces responded with aplomb and dismantled Star in the fourth quarter, holding the enemy to just 12 points there to complete an improbable sweep of their best-of-five Final Four series at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Like in the 97-91 series-opening win, Game 3 was all about defense for Alaska as it roared back from double digit deficits early with Romeo Travis on the firing end.

Star, which owns one of the highest-priced lineups in the league, was held down to just 31 points in the final half, as the Hotshots easily lost a nine-point halftime lead and a 65-60 edge going into the fourth quarter.

“I love my guys, I just love them,” Alaska coach Alex Compton said.

While Alaska was the epitome of poise in the endgame, the Hotshots were the exact opposites as they went scoreless in the final 2:56 by taking some low percentage shots when the pressure was at its highest.

Marqus Blakely, a workhorse of an import who does a lot of celebrating on the floor after practically every good play, couldn’t come up with his antics in the dying minutes as Travis totally outplayed him on both ends of the floor.

Travis hit two triples in the fourth and had 10 in the period, with his last trey giving the Aces a 79-77 lead going into the final two minutes which they protected with tenacity until the final buzzer.

James Yap, who led the Hotshots with 20 points, took a very critical gamble in the dying seconds when he took a three-pointer with a lot of time left on the shotclock and the Aces just ahead, 79-77.

That miss led to a Travis rebound and a Vic Manuel basket on the other end that enabled Alaska to seal the deal, 81-77, going into the final 30.1 ticks.

Blakely also showed that he was rattled a lot after Travis’ last triple shot against his defense, hoisting up a three-point attempt that missed the mark completely as the Hotshots threw away a crucial possession.

Alaska will have at least a five-day break in waiting for a best-of-seven title series foe with San Miguel Beer and Rain or Shine to break their 1-1 tie Monday night also at the Big Dome.

That game is slated at 7 p.m. and the Elasto Painters are hoping to take the momentum of a classic 113-110 Game 2 win to push the rock-solid Beermen on cliff’s edge and also make a second title series appearance this season.

“Those are two great teams,” Compton said of the Beermen and the Elasto Painters. “I’m just happy that we’re in this (Finals) and happy with whomever we play against.”

Travis also had 10 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, three blocks and made up for seven turnovers with those critical triples in the fourth period.

There were a total of four players in twin digits for Alaska, with Manuel finishing with 14 and Cyrus Baguio and Rome Dela Rosa shooting 11 apiece.

Dela Rosa, incidentally, made a surprise start at one of the forward spots and earned Player of the Game honors for the first time in his career.

Blakely finished with just 15 points and seven rebounds, a far cry for his usual output, which was proof of how effectively he was shackled by the Alaska defense all night long.