Can Aces stop tide of history

Purefoods has won its last three matches against Alaska Milk by an average of two points – one reason why Alaska Milk is not throwing in the towel in their best-of-seven showdown for the PBA-Philippine Cup championship.

This Wednesday, the Giants hope to close out the Aces at 7 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum and wrap up their eighth conference crown and first since beating Red Bull in 2006 for the Philippine Cup.

Against a franchise that has not been swept in four games, Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio is aware of the task at hand.

“Our mission is not complete,” Gregorio said. “The same intensity on defense and intelligence in our execution of offense in the end are required if we want to close out the series against the best team in the league.”

Gregorio pointed to defense as the single reason why the Giants are on top.

“It has been a defensive match up. We will again set the tone on defense. In the first three games, we have been disrupting the rhythm of the triangle and we intend to do the same,” he said.

The Giants won Game 1, 81-77; Game 2, 86-85; and Game 3, 79-78. History does not favor Purefoods.

Only two teams have swept a best-of-seven title series, the first was in 1985 when Northern Consolidated shut out Manila Beer to win the Reinforced Conference.

In 1992, Swift, then led by import Tony Harris, shut out 7-Up for the third conference crown.

But if history is again the gauge, that would only be delaying the inevitable.

No team has ever come back to win after falling 0-3.

So far, the Giants have held the Aces’ “triangle offense” to 80 points per game, 15 points less than their average in the eliminations.

The Giants’ tall and quick frontline has allowed Gregorio to use 6-foot-5 players like Marc Pingris, rookie forward Rico Maierhofer, and wingman Niño Canaleta to defend against smaller players, including the Aces’ point guards LA Tenorio and 5-foot-11 Willie Miller.

Purefoods will again rely on the defensive mismatches, while counting on James Yap, Kerby Raymundo, Roger Yap, and Rafi Reavis to provide the firepower in the opposite side of the court.

Yap and Miller are disputing the Best Player of the Conference award which will be given at halftime.

Gregorio is expecting a tough fight.

“We can’t relax, we can’t get complacent and we have to compete until the end. We expect a proud Alaska team to come out firing on all cylinders and we must equal if not surpass the effort that they will render,” Gregorio said.

Alaska coach Tim Cone remains defiant.

“Our attitude is, they beat us three straight so there’s no reason we can’t beat them three straight as well. We believe,” he said.

Games this Wednesday (Araneta Coliseum)
4:45 p.m. — PWBL
7 p.m. — Alaska vs Purefoods

Source: Waylon Galvez  | Manila Bulletin