Beermen, Aces determined to win Fiesta Cup title

San Miguel wants to keep the Fiesta Cup crown while Alaska hopes to finally nail a 13th title so they can finally join the legendary Crispa Redmanizers as the two most winningest franchises in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

This was according to Gee Abanilla and Dicky Bachmann, the assistant coaches of the Beermen and the Aces, during Friday’s SCOOP sa Kamayan weekly session in Manila.

The PBA’s Fiesta Conference opens on Sunday, March 21, at the Araneta Coliseum with the Sta. Lucia Realtors taking on the Barako Energy Coffee Masters (Barako Bull) in the 4 p.m. opening game while the Barangay Ginebra Kings battle the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters at 6 p.m.

San Miguel and Alaska became victims of eventual champion Purefoods (now the Derby Ace Llamados) in the recently concluded Philippine Cup with the Giants eliminating the Beermen in the semifinals. Purefoods then scored a 4-0 sweep of Alaska in the finals series.

The Beermen, who captured the same tournament at the expense of sister team Ginebra, beefed up their already formidable lineup to assure themselves of a back-to-back Fiesta Cup crown.

The Aces, likewise, revamped their lineup to avenge their embarrassing loss.

Abanilla said bringing back last year’s best import winner Gabe Freeman is one of the moves San Miguel has down to show its determination that they want to keep the crown in the import-laced tournament.

The Beermen also traded playmakers Mike Cortez and Bonbon Custodio in favor of Air21’s Coca-Cola’s Alex Cabagnot and Sta. Lucia’s Joseph Yeo.

Bachmann, on the other hand, said during their acquisition of Beermen Samigue Eman from the free agent market midway through the Philippine Cup, is exactly what the Aces needed to strengthen their almost intact roster.

The Aces, who actually are eyeing a 13th championship that would tie them with the Redmanizers as the second winningest ballclub in PBA history, will be parading a new reinforcement in Diamon Sampson.

Sampson’s impressive showing in the National Basketball Development League impressed Alaska head coach Tim Cone.

“Let’s just say that we’ve learned our lessons in the last conference which we believe have already been addressed," Bachmann said, admitting that the Alaska management was disappointed in what happened to the Aces last conference.

Ginebra team manager Samboy Lim, who spoke in behalf of coach Jong Uichico, said that addition of Yancy de Ocampo from Talk ‘N Text and John Ferriols from Alaska strengthened the Gin Kings’ frontcourt.

Lim said the Ginebra coaching staff is satisfied in choosing Awvee Storey, who played alongside Gilbert Arenas with the Washington Wizards, as their reinforcement.

“Ang Ginebra naman lagging contender ke malakas o mahina ang lineup. This is because of our do-or-die style of play which we will maintain in the Fiesta Cup," Lim said.

Also present were Freeman, assistant coaches Cholo Martin of Sta. Lucia Realty, Nash Racela of Talk ‘N Text and newly-appointed coach Junel Baculi of the Coffee Masters.

Martin said Yeo’s absence would hardly be felt with Custodio’s arrival and Felix Belano returning in a Sta. Lucia jersey.

He added that unlike last year where Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes spent most of their time on the bench due to injuries, the Realtors expect to have a healthy and injury-free lineup this year.

Tal ‘N Text believes they already solved its defensive woes when it acquired Aaron Aban and Mark Yee from Air21 and having Shawn Daniels as its reinforcement.

Baculi, who replaced Leo Isaac, said mainstays of the ASEAN Basketball League champions Philippines Patriots would help the Photokina franchise reclaim its old winning form.

The Coffee Masters recruited Rob Wainwright, Jerwin Gaco and Christian Coronel from the Patriots.

“Being last placers in the previous conference, the teams, I believe can go nowhere but up," said Baculi, a former assistant of Burger King coach Yeng Guiao.

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Simpson Hopes Carry Aces All Way Fiesta-Conf; Freeman, Lewis, Aj, Back

Their pride in tatters after another title bust in the recent Philippine Cup, the Alaska Aces hope to turn their fortunes around in the coming PBA Fiesta Conference with the help of a 22-year-old recognized for his defense.

Diamon Simpson, named to the All-America Defensive Team while playing for the St. Mary’s Gaels, has been signed up by Aces to beef up the team in the season-ending conference that starts on March 21 at the Araneta Coliseum.

The presence of Simpson along with new recruit Sam Eman and Sonny Thoss shores up Alaska’s frontline, no wonder Alaska coach Tim Cone is excited about his new starting lineup.
Simpson averaged 15.5 points and 9.6 rebounds while playing for the Los Angeles D-Fenders in the National Basketball Association Developmental League.

But his strongest suit is his defensive acumen. He averaged 1.7 steals and 1.6 blocks per game while playing the power forward spot for his collegiate squad. In 2008, he was cited as Defensive Player of the Year by CollegeInsider.com.

Leroy Hickerson, a two-time slam dunk champion in the Mexican League, was scheduled to arrive last night to carry the colors of Air21.

Hickerson is listed as 6-foot-5. He ruled the slam dunk competition in the Mexican LNBP All-Star Game in 2008 and 2009. He worked out with the Memphis Grizzlies last summer and was named Player of the Year, Guard of the Year and Import Player of the Year by Latinbasket.com.
In 41 games last year, Hickerson averaged 19.2 points, 4.7 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game while playing for the Halcones UV Xalapa.

Sta. Lucia, Rain or Shine, Coca-Cola Tigers and defending champion San Miguel Beer are bringing in old faces.

The Realtors are launching their campaign in the Fiesta Conference with Anthony Johnson, the Coca-Cola Tigers, on the other hand, are bringing back James Penny while burly import Jai Lewis will beef up the Elasto Painters. The Beermen are once again counting on Gabe Freeman to lead their title retention drive.

Source: Author Unknown  | PBA.ph

Cone faces uncertain future as Alaska coach

Tim Cone’s success as Alaska coach is anchored behind the Aces’ vaunted Triangle Offense, a strategy that helped the squad in building a Philippine Basketball Association dynasty in the 1990s.

Cone and Alaska are like any other sweet couple that stood the test of time.

But will the multi-titled coach and the Aces keep their 20-year-old affair after Alaska suffered a 4-0 beating against the Purefoods TJ Giants in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup?

For Cone, the setback could only mean one thing – his tenure as Alaska coach isn’t anymore secured.

"There’s no excuse for the setback. Either we lose by one point or by 20 points. The bottom line there is that you still lost games. And in an organization like ours, there’s no guarantee in terms of security once you performed that way. What more when you got swept in the finals?," Cone told GMANews.TV.

Owner of 12 league championships – all from Alaska – and architect of the franchise’s only grandslam feat in 1996, Cone got swept in the finals for the first time in his career by Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

In fact, in three head-to-head duels with Gregorio, the veteran mentor lost all of them against his youthful counterpart.

Cone, the longest tenured mentor in the PBA and winnigest bench tactician among active coaches, also had his ups and downs in the 20 years of coaching Alaska.

"I swept a team and was swept as well. I fought in short series and seven-game series and won and lost quite a number of them. In 20 years of coaching you will experience a lot of those," he added.

Cone’s contract is set to expire this July. He admitted that his fate as Alaska coach remains uncertain, especially after the team was swept in the finals.

So what does the future hold for Cone? For the American mentor, coaching is still his ultimate priority.

"I love coaching and I would love to coach any team," added Cone, who is second in the all-time list for most number of championships behind his idol, the legendary Virgilio “Baby" Dalupan.

"But if Alaska would want me to be there, then I would stay. Alaska has been my home in the PBA and the leaders in the organization are my mentors."

Alaska team manager and PBA board governor Joaqui Trillo said in a text message that “he sees no problem with Alaska dealing with Cone on a possible contract renewal."

Whether he would be offered to continue coaching the Aces, be given a new position with Alaska or find himself going into another team remains to be seen. Cone is now setting his sights for the PBA Fiesta Conference where teams will parade imports 6-foot-6 and below.

"We’re all excited in the coming conference. We’re looking forward to have Sam (Eman) playing for us and see what impact he can bring while seeing action along with Sonny Thoss," said Cone.

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Giants too good for Aces

Tim Cone, the Alaska Aces coach, didn’t hang around long enough Wednesday night to “tip my hat” and “sing praises” to the Purefoods Giants after getting swept in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Finals.

He was gone from the Araneta Coliseum before Giants coach Ryan Gregorio could be hoisted by his victorious players, and was probably halfway to where he sought solace by the time Best Player of the Conference and Finals MVP James Yap was through shaking hands at the press room.

Getting shut out by a kid in front of more than 16,000 screaming fans was probably too much for the veteran Grand Slam coach to bear.

And there lies the dilemma of the Alaska Aces.

Defiant despite falling behind 0-3 in the championship series, Cone said after Game 3 Sunday that only when the series is over will he tip his hat and sing praises to Purefoods.

“But it’s not over yet,” he said.

It’s over now. And when the end finally came for the Aces, with Yap putting the finishing touches to a masterful performance and Purefoods’ relentless frontline crushing the air out of its counterpart, Cone found himself practically alone in the battle with the menacingly tall and agile Giants, especially in the title-clinching Game 4.

Willie Miller made a valiant effort to salvage Alaskan pride and stature, the Aces having come into the Final Four as a top seed and into the championship as conquerors of the Barangay Ginebra Kings in four straight games.

But two men couldn’t do it alone. And with Miller and Cone, and to some extent LA Tenorio, the only ones with the sustained courage to stand their ground against a pack of stampeding horses in Roger Yap, Marc Pingris, Rafi Reavis, KG Canaleta, Kerby Raymundo, and rookie Rico Maierhofer, the Aces inevitably got run over.

“It was really their size,” Cone told the Bulletin’s Waylon Galvez the day after.

“I think we did a good job on James, Roger Yap and Kerby Raymundo. But it was Pingris, Reavis, KG (Canaleta), and even Maierhofer… it was their size and quickness. They disrupted us both on offense and defense,” Cone said.

“They outplayed us in the series. We had our chances to win games. But they came in to the series at a high level especially defensively. They just gained momentum. But the most impressive thing is that they didn’t let off the pedal for a moment. They didn’t give us a chance.”

Gregorio, who vowed not to give Alaska an ounce of air to breath after taking a 3-0 lead, pointed to the Giants’ indomitable spirit, something the Aces radiated when they still had Johnny Abarrientos, Jojo Lastimosa, Bong Hawkins, Poch Juinio and a much younger Jeffrey Cariaso in the lineup, as a key factor in their triumph.

“Our will and determination to survive can't be described in words,” Gregorio said. “We're supposed to be tired, the inferior team. But again that's what prayers can do. Yes, we're tired on the court, we're tired in practice, but we prayed hard and those prayers were answered.”

Coming in through the backdoor, the Giants needed five games to dispose off tenacious Rain or Shine in the quarterfinals before blasting to smithereens No. 2 seed San Miguel Beer in the semifinals.

“This is really close to impossible, but we did it,” he said. “So that’s what makes this conference more memorable for us. It can be a preview of what life can be. You start slow, you start on the wrong foot, but you have to end the right way and that’s exactly what we did. We never gave up.”

Somewhere along the way, the Alaska Aces did.

Source: Tito Talao  | Manila Bulletin

Alaska a class act

It’s not often that a best-of-7 title series ends in a sweep – either in the NBA or the PBA.

In 63 NBA finals so far, there have been only eight 4-0 routs, the most recent San Antonio’s thrashing of Cleveland in 2005. Other teams that broomed their opponents were Boston over Minneapolis in 1959, Milwaukee over Baltimore in 1971, Golden State over Washington in 1975, Philadelphia over the Los Angeles Lakers in 1983, Detroit over the Lakers in 1989, Houston over Orlando in 1995 and the Lakers over New Jersey in 2002. The wipeout rate in the NBA is only 12.7 percent.

In 61 PBA finals with the best-of-seven format, only two were decided in sweeps - until last Wednesday’s closure of the Philippine Cup championship playoffs. The teams that were unscathed in the title series were Northern Consolidated over Manila Beer in 1985, Swift over Seven-Up in 1992 and Purefoods over Alaska this past conference.

For a proud franchise like Alaska, losing a title series without winning a single game was a huge blow. Every game in the finals was close including the clincher which the Tender Juicy Hot Dogs sealed with about five minutes left. Aces coach Tim Cone has taken Alaska to 21 finals since 1989 and knows what it means to win or lose. He’s bagged 12 titles so far, only three less than Baby Dalupan’s career record of 15.

If there’s a team that can take a loss with head unbowed, it’s Alaska. The Aces take their lead from owner Fred Uytengsu, a Southeast Asian Games swimming medalist who values sportsmanship more than anything else on the playing field.

* * *


In Game 2 of the hotly contested series, referee Maui Mauricio was wrong in calling a foul on Joe DeVance to send Kerby Raymundo to the line for the chance to break an 85-all tie with less than two seconds left. If at all, the contact was in local parlance, “manipis.” It was incidental contact and should’ve been let go. By the way both teams played their guts out in regulation, they deserved an overtime. But Mauricio killed what would have been a more fitting closure in extension by deciding the outcome with an ill-advised whistle.

Mauricio would never have gotten away with that kind of call in the NBA. He would’ve been lynched not just by the aggrieved team but also the favored team because no team likes to win that way. It’s not about winning at all costs. It’s about playing and winning fair.

Yet, none of the Alaska officials raised a howl. Right after the game, team manager Joaqui Trillo expressed displeasure by saying Purefoods would surely not have liked to win through a referee’s whistle. That couldn’t even be classified as a tirade. The next day, Trillo apologized to the PBA for speaking out of line - an unnecessary apology that spoke volumes of Alaska’s principles.

As it turned out, Raymundo converted his first free throw and deliberately missed the second to wash away the time left for a possible Alaska retaliation. Uytengsu called the one-point setback a “bitter pill to swallow, especially since it (the phantom foul) was so obvious.” He said, “that game should have gone to overtime and perhaps, the series would be different.”

When the balloons fell from the Araneta rafters last Wednesday, Uytengsu acknowledged defeat. “Purefoods deserved the series,” he said. “They played harder and wanted it more. I’m just disappointed we didn’t bring our A game to the championship. Our players got outplayed and we were outcoached.”

It was the second straight bridesmaid finish for Alaska in the Philippine Cup. Last season, the Aces lost a 4-3 heartbreaker to Talk ‘N’ Text.

* * *

Purefoods’ defense was the key to victory. Using matchups that capitalized on the Giants’ size advantage, coach Ryan Gregorio broke down Alaska’s chief strength - the ability to execute in the halfcourt - and never gave the Aces a chance to play with rhythm consistently. The Giants were focused on disrupting Alaska’s flow, pressuring the ballhandlers into turnovers, making it difficult to get the ball into the post where the triangle formation originates, stepping into open spots to prevent spacing for medium-range jumpers or pick-and-rolls and varying defensive tactics. On offense, they aggressively attacked the rim and made extra passes to create good looks. Getting Alaska’s bigs into foul trouble was a bonus. In Game 4, Alaska was held to 39.7 percent shooting from the field, the result of Purefoods’ unforgiving defense, and the Giants controlled the boards, 51-41. The Aces succumbed to the pressure by flubbing 15 free throws and down the stretch, they became tentative on offense as if nobody wanted to take the blame for the impending loss. DeVance struggled and went 0-of-7 from the floor and 4-of-10 from the stripe in 33 minutes. Worse, he grabbed only two rebounds. Reynel Hugnatan also showed his inability to cope with pressure, picking up five turnovers in a starting role. Hugnatan had seven errors in Game 2 and three in Game 3.

Alaska’s top gunners Willie Miller and L. A. Tenorio combined for only 9-of-28 from the floor, a 32.1 percent clip. They were the only Aces in twin digits so you can imagine how poorly the rest shot.

Purefoods’ second unit provided a major lift with the bench contributing 25 points to Alaska’s 16. Rico Maierhofer was particularly productive as he delivered 12 points, six rebounds and two assists in 18 solid minutes. Alaska’s top bench scorer was Jeffrey Cariaso who shot only five points in eight quiet minutes. Throughout the series, Gregorio showed confidence in his shock troopers who paid him back with interest - among them, Niño Canaleta, P.J. Simon, Paul Artadi, Don Allado and Jondan Salvador.

But in the clutch, Gregorio turned to his starters who were unstoppable - MVP James Yap, Roger Yap, Raymundo, Marc Pingris and Rafi Reavis.

Alaska fought a good fight and gave its all in trying to extend the series but the Giants wouldn’t be denied. Gregorio had all the bases covered from matchups to substitution patterns to changing defenses to unpredictable combinations. It’s been eight conferences since Purefoods won a title so Gregorio had a long wait before picking up his third crown. Alaska’s last title came six conferences ago.

Top-seeded Alaska could’ve celebrated too early after sweeping Barangay Ginebra in the semifinals and looked like the Aces lost steam or their killer’s instinct against Purefoods. The Giants, in contrast, had nothing to lose and everything to gain as the No. 3 seed, playing without pressure and generating energy from every conceivable five Gregorio sent to the court.

To play the kind of merciless defense that Purefoods displayed, the Giants had to have depth - fresh legs moving in and out to leave the Aces gasping for breath. Pacing became a vital element in Gregorio’s shuffling and it reaped dividends as in every game of the series, the Giants were tougher, sturdier and stronger in the homestretch.

Still, Alaska has nothing to be ashamed of. It’s a team that knows how to lose with dignity.

Source: Joaquin Henson  | Philstar.com

Giants complete rare sweep, trounce Aces

Purefoods, a proud team with a rich tradition, is back as the king of the All-Filipino Conference.

The Giants held steadier down the stretch against a gutsy Alaska Aces squad, 86-76, to complete a rare sweep in the best-of-seven finals series of the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup at the jampacked Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

Willie Miller preserved his best for the final stretch in a bid to save the Aces, but the Giants led by James Yap and Roger Yap and a little bit of everything from Rico Maierhofer held steadier under pressure as Purefoods achieved only the third sweep in the history of the best-of-seven championship series.

Since the best-of-seven championship series was instituted in 1982, only the Northern Consolidated squad of coach Ron Jacobs in 1985 and Swift Mighty Meaty in 1992 were the only teams which swept their rivals.

Purefoods joined these historic squads in capturing its eighth championship in franchise history.

James Yap led the Giants with 18 points while Roger Yap contributed 16 as they teamed up in the final quarter to deliver the final blow to the Aces. While Maierhofer had nine of his 12 points in the third period as Purefoods made up for its lapses in the closing minutes of the second quarter with a strong second-half windup.

James Yap, who became the first player to win the best player of the conference and Finals most valuable player (MVP) awards, had seven points in the final period. He had back-to-back baskets in a three-minute stretch of the fourth period while Roger Yap had a nifty turnaround jumper as the Giants posted a 75-65 lead with 4:55 left in the game.

Miller, who was on and off in the finals series, had seven of his team’s last 11 points, including a three-pointer with 2:12 left that shoved the Aces back on the thick of the fight to find themselves trailing by five, 76-81.

A few seconds later, James Yap nailed the final coffin – a dagger three-pointer with 1:48 left – to put the Giants on safer ground.

Alaska never scored from there.

“I’m sure my mother-in-law is very happy," said James, dedicating the game to the late president Corazon Cojuangco Aquino, who has been his No. 1 fan.

Gregorio now 3-0 over Cone
The two coaches refused to center the attention among themselves while the finals was ongoing. But for the third time, Tim Cone, the winningest mentor among active coaches and one of only four grandslam bench tacticians in the PBA, lost to Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

And the third one was possibly the most lopsided.

Gregorio scored a sweep and this victory was possibly the most decisive over Cone.

In the 2005-06 best-of-seven semifinals series, Gregorio and his embattled Giants came back from a 1-3 deficit and won the last three games to beat the Aces. In 2002 Governors Cup, the youthful mentor also came back from 0-2 down to complete a Cinderella Finish and win his first-ever league crown.

In pulling off another win over Cone, Gregorio also became the first Purefoods coach to win an All-Filipino crown twice. Coaches Ely Capacio (1991), Chot Reyes (1993) and Eric Altamirano (1997) each won a title for Purefoods throughout their coaching career with the Giants, but Gregorio was the first one to win two, the first one was in the 2005-06 Philippine Cup.

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

James Yap cops Best Player of the Conference plum

“Miller Time" has been a familiar refrain for Alaska ace Willie Miller during the first half of the KFC-Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup. But it was Purefoods star James Yap who stepped up big time during the more important playoffs.

For this, Yap secured his first Best Player of the Conference (BPC) award, becoming the first Purefoods player to win the award since Rey Evangelista in the 2002 Governors Cup.

The 6’3 forward from Escalante, Negros Occidental, won convincingly over Willie Miller and Sta. Lucia’s do-it-all forward Kelly Williams.

Yap, the only player in Purefoods’ current roster who won a Most Valuable Player award aside from four-time MVP and current team manager Alvin Patrimonio, garnered 221 statistical points, 591 media votes, 128 players’ votes and 150 votes from television coveror for a total of 1,380 points.

“Masaya ako sa award and I would like to thank my teammates, coaching staff and management," said Yap. “Pero siyempre, mas masaya kung mag-champion kami."

Miller, a two-time MVP and a two-time winner of the BPC, came in second after accumulating 925 total points while Williams, who also won both an MVP and BPC award, placed third with 476.

Williams was No. 1 in the statistical points (SPs) average with 40.6 despite his team missing the playoffs.

Yap dedicated the honor to his late mother-in-law, former President Cory Aquino.

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Sweet Sweep For Purefoods, Giants Phil Cup Champs

PUREFOODS completed its drive to some historic firsts Wednesday by riding the backs of its most trusted men. James Yap and Roger Yap each came up with big games as the Giants beat the Alaska Aces 86-76 to pull off the first-ever four-game sweep in a KFC-PBA Philippine Cup championship series at the packed Araneta Coliseum.

Awarded with his first Best Player of the Conference earlier, James Yap was also honored as the Handyfix-PBA Press Corps Finals MVP as he wrapped up a tournament to remember with a teamhigh 18 points, seven coming in the final quarter that helped keep the Aces at bay. Roger Yap, meanwhile, capped a sterling playoffs with 16 points as well as team-highs of nine rebounds and six assists as Purefoods annexed its eighth title and fifth in the tournament formerly known as the All-Filipino, tying it with Crispa with the most number of championships in an import-less conference. “Chapter closed, destination reached.

Now we can celebrate,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio after the game watched by more than 16,500 pro-Giants fans. Making it all memorable is the fact Purefoods ended the conference with seven straight wins in all, in stark contrast to its rollercoaster start when it finished the first round of the eliminations with a 4-4 win-loss card. “This is really close to impossible but we did it,” said Gregorio. Sonny Thoss finished with game highs of 19 points and 12 rebounds while Willie Miller and LA Tenorio had at least 11 points each, but the failure of Alaska to come up with a more balanced offensive while matching Purefoods’ lockdown defense spelled doom. And this should sting the most for Aces coach Tim Cone since he has never lost four straight games in a Finals before, an event that seemed next to impossible after the Aces finished No. 1 after the elims and swept Barangay Ginebra in the semifinals.

But while Cone was denied his 13th title, Gregorio finally followed up his championships in the 2002 Governors Cup and ’06 Philippine Cup, incidentally the last time the Giants won a title. Great Taste was the last to wield the big broom in an All-Filipino Finals, needing just three games against Hills Bros in 1987. Swift, meanwhile, was the last to carve a four-game sweep in the finals, against Seven-Up in the 1992 Third Conference. That reality became readily apparent when Purefoods took off for good in the fourth period, erecting a 75-63 lead before fully dashing Alaska’s hopes with an 84-76 lead in the last 1:48 off a James Yap triple.

“We needed someone to put the final touches, and James provided that with his three-point shot,” noted Gregorio. “It’s truly a miraculous ride for us and I’m so happy to be with this Purefoods franchise.” Picking up from where it left off, Alaska finally managed to start a quarter right when it raced to several four-point leads in the third, the last at 48-44. But it lost its initiative when it went blank for more than four minutes, giving Purefoods the momentum to take the period 65-58. In that crucial stretch, the Aces muffed five charity tries, two field goal attempts and turned the ball over thrice while Rico Maierhofer reprised what he did in Game 3 by scoring seven third quarter points.

Behind Tony dela Cruz, Alaska clambered back to within 57-59, but PJ Simon drained a trey and KG Canaleta completed a three-point play as the Giants took the seven-point cushion in the last 12 minutes of play. Purefoods seemed poised to pounce on Alaska’s jugular right in the second quarter when it took a 35-22 lead, but practically allowed the Aces to score the last 10 points of the period for a 40-all count at the half.

Alaska’s fight for survival took the form of an aggressive stance from the get-go, but produced some unpleasant results in the early goings. After falling behind by 4-11 and crawling back to within 10-11, the Aces were called for four straight offensive fouls, enabling the Giants to pull away anew and take the opening period 21-15.

What infuriated Cone the most among the charging calls was the one slapped on Hugnatan, causing him to enter the court and protest to the referees, netting him a technical foul in the process. When the next one was called, against Thoss, he could only smile.

The scores:
Purefoods 86 - Yap, J. 18, Yap, R. 16, Raymundo 13, Maierhofer 12, Pingris 9, Simon 5, Reavis 5, Canaleta 3, Artadi 3, Salvador 2, Allado 0.

Alaska 76 - Thoss 19, Miller 17, Tenorio 11, Hugnatan 9, Cariaso 5, De Vance 4, Fonacier 4, Dela Cruz 4, Ferriols 2, Cablay 1, Borboran 0.

Quarters: 21-15, 40-40, 65-58, 86-76.

Source: Author Unknown  | PBA.ph

Giants claim historic sweep

MANILA, Philippines - Purefoods completed a fairytale ride in the 2009-2010 KFC Philippine Cup, conquering Alaska Milk in four straight games in their titular duel to nail a record-tying fifth all-Filipino crown before a roaring crowd of over 16,000 at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Giants outfought the Aces in a fierce battle for a fourth game in a row, hacking out an 86-76 victory to end a three-year title drought.

James Yap was named Best Player of the Conference before the game and was later adjudged the Handy Fix Finals MVP as he sustained a superb performance throughout the series, leading the Giants to the dream championship.

It was an improbable conquest of a third-seed playoff team which went all to win the crown, pulling the rug from under the second-ranked San Miguel Beer in the semifinals then stunning the first-seeded Alaska squad in the finals.

The Giants captured a fifth Philippine Cup title in winning their last seven games in the playoffs.


Purefoods distinguished itself as the first team in league history to score a four-game sweep in an all-Filipino tourney, blanking an Alaska team which itself scored a sweep of Barangay Ginebra in the semis.

“Chapter close, destination reached. Now we can celebrate,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

“It’s not easy at all. The first three games could’ve all gone the other way. It’s a miraculous feat and I’m happy to be part of series,” Gregorio also said.

“We had a roller-coaster ride early on in the tournament. We started on the wrong foot then went up and down. To punctuate it with a seven-game run is incredible. But we did it. We got a very memorable feat,” Gregorio added.

“It’s one of a kind because it’s a sweep. A big credit belongs to our coach. He’s done a good job and we’re all happy,” said Purefoods president Butch Alejo amidst the din of wild victory celebration.

Team governor Rene Pardo said this championship is among the sweetest in their eight titular harvests. Purefoods is now tied with Barangay Ginebra as the fifth winningest ballclub in the league behind San Miguel Beer (with 18 crowns), Crispa (13), Alaska (12) and Toyota (nine).

Yap scored 18 points with his second and last three-pointer, breaking Alaska’s back at 84-76 with time down to 1:34.

Roger Yap, Kerby Raymundo and Rico Maierhofer also put in double-digit outputs, helping Purefoods complete the third four-game sweep in best-of-seven PBA finals.

Northern Cement and Swift Mighty Meaty were the first teams to do the feat, doing it in import-reinforced tourney.

Alaska lost the first three games just by a combined margin of six points. The Aces were beaten convincingly in the final game largely due to their poor free-throw shooting.

The tournament best foul shooting team fouled up from the line in this game, muffing a 15 of 32 tries - their worst in the tourney.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

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

Purefoods takes shot at history against Alaska

MANILA, Philippines - No team has ever swept the PBA All-Filipino finals. But with the feat within reach, expect Purefoods to go for it.

“We are upbeat about our chances in Game Four. We expect a determined Alaska team to come out firing on all cylinders and we must equal if not surpass their effort,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

The Giants take on the embattled Alaska Milk Aces in Game Four of the KFC PBA Philippine Cup titular showdown tonight, looking to become the first ball club in league history to score a 4-0 sweep in the all-Filipino finals.

Gametime is 7:30 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum with the Giants also out to distinguish themselves the first team to win the prestigious tourney five times after the Crispa Redmanizers in the early years of the league.

The Best Player of the Conference will be named before the opening tip-off, and it could well be Purefoods top gun James Yap.


The Giants intend to step up their game to complete their mission of ending the team’s three-year title drought.

“It has been a defensive match-up. We will set the tone on defense. In the first three games, we’re able to disrupt the rhythm of their triangle offense. We intend to do the same in Game Four,” Gregorio added.

Alaska isn’t losing hope, though, despite being in a hole no team in league history has ever recovered from.

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

The veteran Alaska mentor is confident they can still regain the impressive form they’ve shown in topping the elimination phase then sweeping past the Barangay Ginebra Kings in their best-of-seven semifinal showdown.

If not, the Aces would go down in history as a team swept in the finals after sweeping their way in the semis.

The Giants are raring to finish off the Aces, wary of fatigue since they’ve been playing without relief since the quarterfinals.

“The same intensity on defense and intelligence in our execution of offense are required if we’re to close out the series,” said Gregorio, on line to achieve a third personal championship.

Gregorio and his troops set out for today’s game riding the momentum of a six-game romp, the team’s longest streak since a 7-0 start in the 2007-08 Philippine Cup.

Purefoods is 3-0 in a best-of-seven series versus Alaska for the second time after posting the same advantage in their 1994 Commissioner’s Cup finals duel. The Hotdogs were stopped then in Game Four before eventually winning the series in the next game.

Alaska went down 0-3 the last time versus Gordon’s Gin in the 1997 Commissioner’s Cup finale. The Aces survived two knockout games before succumbing in Game Six.

Cone said they have to solve Purefoods’ defense if they’re to get another day to live.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Battle of wits

Over 14,000 fans showed up at the Araneta Coliseum to watch Game 3 of the PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven finals between Alaska and Purefoods last Sunday – an indication of the high interest generated by the series. And every single fan stayed in the Big Dome until the final buzzer.

Although Purefoods leads the series, 3-0, and is just a win away from wrapping up the title, nobody’s talking about a sweep because Alaska has as much of a chance to win Game 4 than the Tender Juicy Giants.

More than anything, the series has been a battle of coaching wits. Alaska’s Tim Cone and Purefoods’ Ryan Gregorio are locked in a dogfight. They’ve used different matchups, surprised each other by the combinations on the floor, deployed shock troopers without being predictable and employed different kinds of defense.

So far, we’ve seen Marc Pingris go head-to-head against unlikely matchups L.A. Tenorio and Willie Miller, causing serious problems because of his size advantage. Tony de la Cruz has slid from No. 3 to No. 2 to take on James Yap who has also been defended by Miller, Jeffrey Cariaso and Brandon Cablay. Roger Yap has engaged both Tenorio and Miller. Gregorio has sent in a combination of four bigs and a guard to throw off Alaska’s frontliners. Cone’s version of a big lineup features Sonny Thoss, Reynel Hugnatan and Joe DeVance.

Timing is critical in making matchup and defensive adjustments. That’s where coaching ability comes in. Pingris likes to soften up Tenorio, tire him out, before Paul Artadi checks in to add more pressure with fresh legs. De la Cruz moves in to shadow King James so Miller can conserve his energy for offense.


When to play a zone is crucial – and it usually happens to stop a team from scoring inside points or if the defensive team is in the penalty and wants to avoid picking up fouls or if the offensive team’s shooters are on the bench.

* * * *

Every game in the series could’ve gone either way. For Alaska, that fact is particularly painful because it means the Aces repeatedly failed to get the job done down the stretch.

In Game 3, for instance, Alaska had three unforgivable turnovers and a missed foul shot in the final few minutes and Purefoods held on to win, 79-78. In Game 2, DeVance was whistled for a phantom foul on Kerby Raymundo with virtually no time left on the clock and the score tied, 85-all. Raymundo sank the first free throw and deliberately missed the second to take away Alaska’s chance to call a timeout and set up a final play. In Game 1, Alaska dominated the boards, 52-44, and took 13 more field goal attempts but shot atrociously from the floor, .361, to lose an 81-77 decision.

Alaska ‘s inability to execute – because of Purefoods’ stingy defense – has been the key to every Giants win. The Aces have committed more turnovers than Purefoods from Game 1 to Game 3 – 14-13 in the opener, 23-13 in Game 2 and 20-16 in Game 3. The Giants never failed to capitalize, scoring more turnover points, 9-4, in Game 1, a whopping 30-12 in Game 2 and 18-16 in Game 3.

Alaska has also been slapped with too many fouls resulting in free throws – 14-7 in Game 1, 19-10 in Game 2 and 11-9 in Game 3. The margin of difference was particularly glaring in Game 2 where Purefoods went 21-of-35 from the line compared to Alaska’s 15-of-18.

In Game 1, Alaska’s lowly field goal percentage was its downfall. In Game 2, Alaska’s faulty execution led to 10 more turnovers as Purefoods shot 18 more turnover points and took 17 more foul shots. Despite the numbers, Alaska should’ve survived regulation and played in overtime if not for the last-second foul called by referee Maui Mauricio on what appeared to be incidental contact or no contact at all. In Game 3, Purefoods’ bench erupted for 36 points, compared to 16 by Alaska’s relievers, and the bigs hauled down 18 offensive rebounds, to Alaska’s nine, and delivered 15 second chance points to the Aces’ six.

Alaska’s bench was more productive in Games 1 and 2 but Purefoods’ second unit went to town in Game 3 with Niño Canaleta, P.J. Simon, Don Allado and Rico Maierhofer knocking down big baskets.

Thoss’ tendency to foul has been a problem for Cone. He fouled out in Games 2 and 3. Clearly, Purefoods’ bigs are aggressively powering their way to the hole to put pressure on Thoss who’s the fulcrum in Alaska’s triangle.

Fouls and turnovers are making life difficult for Alaska. In Game 2, DeVance and Hugnatan finished with five personals apiece. Worse, Hugnatan had seven turnovers, Miller five and Tenorio five. In Game 3, Miller picked up six turnovers, Tenorio four and Hugnatan three.

Even with the statistical discrepancies, Alaska had a chance to win the first three games in the series. And that should brighten up the Aces’ outlook for Game 4 tonight.

* * * *

For Purefoods to clinch in Game 4, the Giants must play even tougher defense to disrupt Alaska’s rhythm in the halfcourt - that means locking down on Tenorio. The bench must be as productive as it was in Game 3 and jumpers should be a low priority for the offense to show strong moves to the basket either through penetrations, cuts down the middle or post-ups.

For Alaska to extend the series to a Game 5 on Sunday, the Aces must foul strictly with a purpose, not unnecessarily giving away free throws, raise their assist-to-turnover ratio higher than Purefoods, be ready to hit the outside shots whenever the Giants play zone, pick up the pace to make it higher-scoring, clog the interior to force Purefoods to shoot from outside and focus on taking possession away from King James.

Make no mistake about it. The series ain’t over ‘til the Fat Lady sings, as the saying goes.

Source: Joaquin Henson  | Philstar.com

Yap, Miller lead ‘best player’ race

Will it be James Yap of Purefoods or Willie Miller of Alaska? The former national team backcourt partners are again locked in a tight and exciting race for the Best Player of the Conference in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup, a development that is expected to add to their ongoing final series.

Interestingly, the coveted award will be given in Game 4 with the Giants going for a ‘dream sweep’ of their best-of-seven series.

Though Miller is ahead of Yap in the statistical points category, the Purefoods’ top gunner has provided leadership and consistent scoring for his team and is the big reason why the Giants are leading 3-0 in their series.

Yap has been doing great for the team since their classic quarterfinal duel with Rain or Shine where the former MVP averaged 21.4 points.

The 5-foot-11 Miller actually finished tied for third with Alaska teammate, forward Joe Devance, at the end of semifinals with similar 31.0 Statistical Points (SP).

Sta. Lucia’s Kelly Williams, the MVP two years ago, emerged the topnotcher with 40.6 followed by San Miguel’s Arwind Santos (35.4).

William’s bid, however, was scuttled when the Realtors lost to the Elasto Painters in the knockout wildcard.

The same thing befell on Santos as the Beermen, despite gaining outright semis berth, were beaten by the Giants in the Final Four.

The 6-foot-2 Yap, on the other hand, climbed steadily since their quarterfinal win over Rain or Shine.

From No. 12, Yap moved up to No. 8 with 27.6 SP.

In the first three games of the series, Yap averaged 23.3 points, which included a 32-point explosion in an 86-85 victory in Game 2, while Miller normed 18.3 points.

Miller, a two-time Most Valuable Player (MVP), is out to repeat his feat last year, and if successful, it will be his third BPC award.

Yap, on the other hand, is eyeing only his first trophy given to the top individual player every conference despite having won the MVP in 2005-06.

The two played together for the PBA-backed Powerade-Team Pilipinas in the previous FIBA-Asia Championship in Tianjin, China.

Others in the Top 10 were Talk ’N Text guard Mark Cardona (No. 5, 30.7), Alaska’s LA Tenorio (No. 6, 29.8), Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood (No. 7, 29.0),TNT’s Harvey Carey (No. 9, 27.5), and Ginebra’s Ronald Tubid (No. 10, 27.2).

Source: Waylon Galvez  | Manila Bulletin

Alaska not giving up, vows strong comeback

In 24 previous Finals appearances – 22 under coach Tim Cone – Alaska has won 12 times and has never been swept in a best-of-seven title series.

The team also got into a 0-3 hole once, but it managed to make a series out of it.

That’s the reason why Cone, despite facing the grim scenario of losing four straight games in a title series, remains upbeat of turning their faltering fortunes around and still win the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup.

After all, the team lost each of the last two games by a single point and the first game by four, 81-77. Overall, that’s losing by an average of two points which could easily mean that had the gods of basketball been kinder, they should be 3-0 and not 0-3.

For sure, Alaska’s 79-78 loss in Game 3 and their 86-85 defeat in Game 2 could have a devastating effect on the morale of the team. But they could also be rallying points. And because of this, Cone believes the war is far from over.

“I’ll tip my cap and I’ll be ready to sing Purefoods praises when the series is over,” Cone said.

“But it’s certainly not over yet,” he added.

In Alaska’s rich history, only once did the Wilfred Uytengsu-owned franchise fall to a 0-3 hole – against Gordon’s Gin in 1997 Commissioner’s Cup. They won the next two games before losing to the Robert Jaworski-mentored squad in Game 6.

The Aces, the top ranked team in the semifinals when they took an outright slot, actually swept their opponent, the Ginebra Kings, in the Final Four and were heavily-favored against the Giants, who won in six games against sister-team, the San Miguel Beermen.

“Were supposed to be the fresh team, they’re supposed to be the tired team. (But) I don’t think we look tired,” Cone said.

“I don’t think it’s coming down to energy. It’s coming down to their ability to defend and execute. They’re taking us away from our execution, it’s the same thing they did against San Miguel Beer and we are falling in the same trap,” he added.

After averaging 95.6 points in the classification phase (third-best in the league), Alaska has been limited to 80 points per game in the Finals, struggling against Purefoods’ lockdown defense.

In a move that surprised almost everybody, Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio allowed 6-foot-5 Marc Pingris and 6-foot-6 rookie Rico Maierhofer to guard Alaska’s playmaker LA Tenorio.

In one stretch, he also ordered the 6-foot-5 Niño Cañaleta to hound former two-time MVP Willie Miller. Normally, it was the job for either James Yap or Roger Yap.

The tactic has been working brilliantly.

“Our defense held up (in Game 3),” Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio said.

“I always look at Tim Cone as the best coach in the league. I don’t have a reason to be happy, it takes four wins to win the series. We have to come up with the same kind of energy, the same willingness to wrap it up.”

“We don’t want to give them a chance, the air to breath. It’s still defense which will definitely dictate and set the tone in Game 4,” Gregorio added.

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

Source: Waylon Galvez  | Manila Bulletin

The Final Score: PBA Finals all about Crashes and Comebacks

Nothing stirs the senses like a 4th quarter comeback. Nothing deflates the spirit like an end-game collapse. What this PBA Finals telenovela might lack in longevity (since Purefoods is now up, 3-0), it makes up for with drama. Unfortunately for the Aces, they’re the ones always in tears at the end of each chapter. For the second straight game, Alaska’s key players wilted under pressure while Purefoods’ unexpected gunners thrived under duress.


I thought Willie Miller was all-set to bring Alaska back in this series. He had 12 points on 6/11 shooting by halftime. More importantly, he had fire in his eyes and that distinct “taray on his kilay" as if to say, “Okay no more Mr. Smiley." While basketball is a team game, only one player can hold that ball and make a shot on each possession. For Alaska, Miller should touch the ball and take the shot during possessions that matter the most. In sequences straight out of a coach’s nightmare, however, Miller had the ball in crucial moments of Game 3 and lost it. Miller, then, took the last shot of the game, a shot that could’ve changed Alaska’s fate in the series, and missed it.

Purefoods, on the other hand, enjoyed a boost from unforeseen sources. Peter June Simon and KG Canaleta were the surprise guests in Game 3. What a time for Simon to register his first double-digit game in over two months. What a time for Canaleta to hit big-time three pointers and display his old slam-dunking form. Ryan Gregorio, when I asked about the fatigue factor during their practice after Game 1, expressed concern over his tight player rotation. I told him I knew he would use unexpected players to deliver startling results at some point. Gregorio flashed a naughty smile.

Not even a referee’s lame call (thank god there was none) at the end of Game 3 could’ve overshadowed the painful truth. Alaska needs to protect leads in the PBA Finals the way Ryan Miller protects the net for Team USA in Olympic Ice Hockey. For the second straight game, a lead felt more like a burden than a blessing for the Aces. Once the Aces had control of the game, I was waiting to see Alaska show some killers’ instinct. Harassed by Purefoods’ relentless, physical defense, Alaska opted to enter survival mode instead. Even when Canaleta left the door unlocked by taking a hurried, ill-advised three-pointer with less than 30 seconds to go, the Aces refrained from barging through the door.

If it’s any consolation, Alaska is part of one of the most eventful 3-0 duels I can remember. Normally, a 3-0 series features lopsided games and frigid match-ups. This best-of-7 affair, however, could’ve easily been a 3-0 lead for the Aces. It’s been that close. Yet close hasn’t been enough for the Aces. They’ll try to rewrite the script, and PBA history for that matter, on Wednesday. Otherwise, Purefoods targets an unpredicted sweep in a conference filled with unpredictable outcomes.

Source: Mico Halili  | GMANews.TV

Giants vow to finish off Aces in Game 4

MANILA, Philippines - For the Purefoods Giants, the best way to complete their mission in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup finale is to stay focused on the job at hand to complete a stirring sweep of Alaska Milk at the resumption of their series tomorrow.

Coach Ryan Gregorio said their mindset would just be to play hard and hope to accomplish the mission they have set out to do all conference long.

With a three-game-to-nil lead, the Giants take their first of four cracks at wrapping up the crown in Game Four at the Araneta Coliseum.

“We don’t want to give them breathing room. We don’t want them to regain their energy,” said Gregorio, determined to finish off the embattled Aces.

“We’ve got the right formula (of beating Alaska). It’s a matter of doing the formula night in and night out. We can’t give them a good rhythm when they run their triangle (offense),” Gregorio added.


No team in league history has ever come back from a 0-3 hole in a best-of-seven series, but the Aces are not yet about to throw in the towel.

Alaska coach Tim Cone said he would only take his hat off to the Giants once they complete the series win.

“The first order of business is going out and trying to win Wednesday,” said Cone.

The Alaska coach isn’t losing hope, noting the first three games were all close with each one going down to final execution of play in the stretch.

“We’re not separated by a lot. It could all go either way if we had better coaching,” said Cone.

Cone’s biggest worry is how to solve the Giants’ tough defense.

“I don’t think the series is coming down to energy. It’s their ability to defend and execute,” said Cone.

“They’re making it hard for us to run our patterns, making it break down to one-on-one. It’s falling down as the same as the San Miguel-Purefoods series.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Giants tower anew over Aces, near crown

MANILA, Philippines - Purefoods once again extricated itself from a tight situation and beat out Alaska Milk, 79-78, in a topsy-turvy finish to build an impregnable 3-0 lead in their KFC PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven championship showdown at the Araneta Coliseum last night.

Teams which have gotten such a lead in the entire league history all ended up hoisting a championship trophy.

The Giants may well become the latest team to do it, taking a shot at a four-game sweep in Game Four Wednesday in the same venue.

Curiously, the Aces, who swept past the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 4-0, on the way to the finals, are now on the brink of being swept away.

They found themselves on a 0-3 hole as they squandered a 13-point spread, 42-55, and main man Willie Miller failed to bail the team out, missing a drive against a phalanx of Purefoods defenders in the closing seconds.


“Obviously, our defense held up. We held them down to five points in the last nine minutes and to a single free throw in the last three minutes, and it’s really a testament to our defense,” said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.

“We’ve been that all tournament long. We have the right formula and all we need to do is do that night in and night out,” Gregorio added.

The youthful Purefoods mentor said they will be out to do the same in Game Four, explaining they have no intention of celebrating until they have wrapped up the series.

Alaska coach Tim Cone was all praises of Purefoods on what’s they’re doing, but stressed the series is not over.

“We’ve lost three tough down-the-stretch basketball. It could’ve all gone either way with a better coaching,” said Cone, putting the blame only on himself.

The magnificent Purefoods starters all struggled in the contest but the Giants pulled through with a huge lift from relievers KG Canaleta and Peter June Simon.

Canaleta delivered eight points coming off the bench in the fourth quarter, none bigger than the fall-away three-pointer he made to tie the count after a long, long Purefoods chase at 77-all with time down to 1:27.

He earlier slammed off Reynel Hugnatan then nailed his first three-pointer, highlighting a key run that pushed the Giants to within three at 66-69 at the onset of the final quarter.

Kerby Raymundo had a poor 1-of-13 field-goal shooting but he made the lone conversion when it mattered the most, giving Purefoods the lead at 79-77 with 57 ticks left.

James Yap led the team with 14 points with wife Kris, son Baby James and other members of the Aquino family in the gallery.

After three straight errors and couples of misses, the Aces ended a three-minute dry spell with Miller splitting his charities to make it 78-79 with 31.3 seconds to go.

Then, Alaska got the opportunity to salvage the game as Canaleta missed a harried three-point shot.

First, Joe De Vance missed a drive but Alaska regained possession with Miller winning his jump ball with James Yap.

Suing for time with 6.9 ticks left, the Aces went to Miller with the Alaska fans looking forward for the unraveling of a “Miller Time.”

Alas, Miller couldn’t convert his shot against a four-man Purefoods defense, triggering a Purefoods celebration as Miller’s running shot hit above the rim.

The scores:

Purefoods 79 – Yap J. 14, Simon 12, Canaleta 8, Pingris 8, Reavis 8, Raymundo 8, Maierhofer 7, Yap R. 5, Allado 5, Salvador 3, Artadi 1.

Alaska 78 – Miller 20, De Vance 16, Thoss 12, Dela Cruz 10, Tenorio 8, Hugnatan 6, Ferriols 4, Borboran 2, Fonacier 0.

Quarterscores: 15-21, 36-44, 61-67, 79-78

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com

Barrios upholds referee's crucial Game 2 call

Referee Maui Maurillo may be receiving flak from the public after making what some perceived as a questionable call during Game 2 of the PBA Philippine Cup finals between Purefoods and Alaska.

But the embattled referee would not be sanctioned by the pro league for his controversial call.

This as PBA Commissioner Sonny Barrios stood by Maurillo’s call – a foul called on Alaska’s Joe Devance in the last 1.7 seconds that allowed Purefoods’ Kerby Raymundo to sink the game-winning free throw and give the Giants a 2-0 lead in the series.

“I asked the referee, was there a contact? Nagkaroon ba ng epekto sa play? If meron, then that was a correct call," Barrios told GMANews.TV.

Using several cameras installed inside the venue – six from the league and seven from TV coveror Solar Sports – Barrios and the technical committee evaluated Maurillo’s call and decided to uphold it.



The Commissioner said this multi-camera setup allows the league to “evaluate clearly whether there was contact [in a contested call] or if it should have been a let-go [situation]."

“The good thing about having this new technology is that it puts us in a position where we can determine whether it was a good call or not," he said.

Alaska officials, led by team manager Joaqui Trillo and coach Tim Cone, stormed their way to the official’s table and contested the call.

Trillo was more vocal than Cone during the post-game interview and expressed his disappointment over the referees' calls.

“Purefoods did a great job coming back into the game. They didn’t need the referees’ help. I’m sure, Purefoods wasn’t happy with their win, which was given to them on a silver platter by the referee," said Trillo.

Trillo, however, stressed the Alaska Aces won’t file any protest.

Still, some believed the Aces got the raw end of the deal in the dying seconds of that game.

Multi-titled coach Norman Black, who worked on the TV panel as an analyst in Game 2, said he was surprised Maurillo made such a crucial call with the game hanging in the balance.

For PBA chairman Lito Alvarez, the referee should have called it a let go even if there was a slight contact.

“We don’t want to deprive any team of a good chance to win. At the same time, ayaw nating maging hindi maganda ang kalalabasan ng laro sa publiko," said Alvarez. “It was a judgment call made by the referee and his decision is final so wala tayong magagawa doon."

"But in fairness to Alaska, the organization showed its class, that’s why I consoled them after the game," he added.

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Purefoods seeks to make it 3-0 vs Alaska Aces

Up two games to none in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup finals, Purefoods seeks to bury Alaska further when the Giants gun for a third straight win against a proud but embattled franchise Sunday at the Araneta Coliseum.

“We’re happy we’re up 2-0, but we’re not satisfied," said Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio.


The Giants go into Game 3 of the best-of-seven series – set at 6 p.m. – carrying with them a great resolve in the wake of their stirring 86-85 come-from-behind victory Friday night.

James Yap pumped a conference-high 32 points in a scintillating performance while Kerby Raymundo sealed it for the Giants by nailing the game-winning free throw in the final 1.7 seconds following a controversial call made on Alaska’s Joe Devance.

Game 2 was tied at that point, 85-all.

Coach Tim Cone naturally didn’t like the call and he made known his feeling for the entire weekend crowd to see when he berated the technical committee officials and referees seconds after the match together with team manager Joaqui Trillo.

“There was not any contact," said Trillo. “It (the game) may have gotten into overtime and they [Giants] could have won. But I don’t think they are happy with that kind of victory."

Gregorio shrugged off the allegations and stressed Purefoods got the breaks at endgame with that crucial call made by referee Raymundo Maurillo.

“It’s one of those calls which are game-altering whether called or not," he said. “We’re lucky it’s called [to Raymundo’s favor]," he said.


Until the final five minutes, the Giants’ five-game winning streak dating back to their semifinals series with San Miguel appeared on the verge of evaporating as they trailed, 64-78.

But that’s when James Yap came into Purefoods’ rescue, hitting back-to-back booming three-pointers to highlight the team’s improbable comeback in the stretch. His two free throws in the last 14 seconds finally had the Giants regaining the upperhand, 85-84.

Devance got a clear path to the baseline at the other end, and was fouled while going for a basket. He could only split his charities, though, to tie the game for the last time, and give the Giants 11 precious seconds to go for the game-winning shot.

“We really fought hard to come back. We’re down by 14 but we didn’t give up and kept on playing. We had a chance in the end and we grabbed the opportunity," Gregorio said.

“That showed the mental stability we have in our team," the Purefoods coach added.

Source: Author Unknown  | GMANews.TV

Battle of nerves looms in '3'

MANILA, Philippines - Purefoods, a team peaking up at the right time and now on a big roll, hopes to keep going tonight, looking to make it three in a row versus Alaska Milk in their KFC PBA Philippine Cup title collision at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Giants are out to sustain their searing drive while the Aces are determined to check a two-game losing skein in the series which is likely to get more emotional following the controversial ending of Game Two Friday night.

Meanwhile, Alaska fan Steve Racelis, who suffered a stroke watching Friday’s pulsating game, underwent an operation at Lourdes Hospital yesterday morning to remove blood clots in his head. He was in the ICU at press time.

Alaska had looked on the way to winning Game Three when it melted down and eventually lost, 85-86, on a free throw by Kerby Raymundo with 1.7 ticks left.

The Aces vehemently questioned the foul called on Joe De Vance sending Raymundo to the stripe for that deciding foul shot.


“Despite the controversial calls, Alaska will always play with its heart out. The problem is will the refs let us play,” said Alaska team manager Joaqui Trillo.

“So far, Purefoods has had the breaks. We hope the refs give us some breaks too. Purefoods is a great squad and is peaking at the right time, but we will be in there to battle and win the war - breaks or no breaks,” Trillo added.

The Alaska team manager cited the 35 free throws awarded Purefoods as against the Aces’ 18 in Game Two.

While expecting the Aces to wage a big fight, Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio said there’s no way they would lower down their guards.

“We understand the implications of a Game Three if you are down 0-2. They will definitely play with great instinct to survive. We must match them step by step and stop by stop, keep the game close and finish strong,” said Gregorio.

“Nothing can take away the drive and determination of our team to win,” Gregorio added.

No team in league history has ever come back from a 0-3 deficit in a best-of-seven series. That’s the tough adversity Alaska would face if it loses again tonight.

Raymundo, drawing a crucial foul from De Vance with 1.7 seconds to go, knocked in the deciding free throw as Purefoods salvaged Game Two after squandering early double-digit spreads.

The Giants blew away a 48-39 halftime lead but recovered in the nick of time, making it five in a row in their searing run in the playoffs.

“We clawed back slowly and never stopped playing till the end. When the opportunity to win the game in regulation came, we simply did not let the chance to slip away,” said Gregorio.

The Aces, however, were convinced they were denied of a chance to win with referee Raymundo Maurillo sending Raymundo at the stripe in the dying seconds.

Purefoods went up by one as Raymundo made the first free throw and eventually won the game with time expiring with the two teams fighting for the loose ball after Raymundo missed the second shot.

Before that, Alaska had compounded its woes committing 23 turnovers and with Sonny Thoss getting into early foul trouble.

Still, the Aces got into the game on a second-half rally presided over by guards Willie Miller, LA Tenorio and Brandon Cablay.

But the Giants won’t be denied.

Source: Nelson Beltran  | Philstar.com