PBA: Casio, Abueva carry Alaska past Talk n' Text to tie series

"Talang nabugbog ako sa first game. [Pero] alam ko na kung anong gagawin nila sakin sa second game," said Abueva of the physical play he received against the veteran Talk n' Text squad. 

 

Alaska head coach Luigi Trillo was satisfied with the victory and looked forward to the long break before game three on December 26, Wednesday:"

It'll be an opportunity for us to go to the drawing board and see the adjustments to be made." 

 

"I have the highest respect for [the Talk n' Text] organization. I just feel that we've been playing them well because we've respected [their strength] while playing to our identity," Trillo added.

 

"You can't outscore TNT," said Trillo, emphasizing the need to sustain their work on the defensive end of the court. "Our best bet is to go to get the series to a game five or six. When we go to that tempo, that's our tempo."

 

After falling in an early 7-2 hole in the first quarter, Talk n' Text head coach Norman Black called an early timeout. Jared Dillinger responded for TNT with seven points in an 11-4 run to plant his team ahead, 13-11.

 

Ali Peek was called for a technical foul with five minutes to play, and Cyrus Baguio converted on the bonus charity to give Alaska a breather. Calvin Abueva checked in at that point and the rookie pushed the pace, scoring or assisting for the Aces. Meanwhile, the Tropa leaned on Dillinger and Larry Fonacier, 25-19.

 

With around a minute and a half to play, technical fouls were handed out to TNT. Aaron Aban was whistled for one for hitting Abueva in the face. Abueva made two charities, while Jimmy Alapag was fouled shortly after on the other end of the court, making both from the line, to give the TNT a 27-21 lead.

 

Dillinger and Fonacier scored 21 points combined, including three triples, in the first period.

 

In the second quarter, Alaska met staunch resistance on defense and struggled to score. On the other hand, TNT found their players open for jumpers, as Fonacier and Ranidel De Ocampo connected from the field. The Tropa then set up Kelly Williams in a pick and roll set to bring the lead to double digits, 36-25.

 

TNT patiently worked the lane as Williams and Jayson Castro carved out space to score inside. The Aces struggled on offense, but Jvee Casio refused to let his team fall behind; the guard buried three triples in the same span as Alaska hung around, 46-36, with three minutes to play.

 

Alaska head coach Luigi Trillo called a timeout, and the Aces came back with a 10-2 run. Casio tallied 14 points to draw Alaska within two points at after the first half, 48-46.

 

The Aces were relentless after the halftime break. Cyrus Baguio, Casio and Abueva slashed to the hoop. Alaska held TNT out of the paint en route to a 10-4 run to give them their first lead of the game, 56-52. 

 

Dillinger's third triple of the game bounced in and got the Tropa back on track. Ali Peek and Harvey Carey found buckets down low, but the Aces outhustled them on the boards for extra tries on offense. A triple by Dondon Hontiveros extended the lead, 65-61, with three and a half minutes to play.

 

Sonny Thoss, who scored six points thus far from range, began to show some aggressiveness in the low block. The big man carried his team down the stretch with seven of their last nine, before Aaron Aban buried a corner triple to keep the TNT within single digits after three quarters, 74-68.

 

TNT threatened to take the lead in the fourth quarter as daredevil drives by Dillinger brought the lead within two, 76-74, but they were promptly repelled with a 7-1 Alaska run, capped by an RJ Jazul triple, to give the Aces an eight-point cushion.

 

Abueva out-dueled Dillinger over the next few possessions and extended the lead to 13 points, but baskets by Dillinger and Castro, who was battling five personal fouls, cut the lead to seven, 89-82.

 

At the other end, Baguio was the steadying presence for the Aces, who scored nine of their next 10 points while TNT struggled to convert. Baguio's putback brought the lead back up to 99-88 with a minute to play. He added a free throw before time expired to seal the final score.

 

Abueva and Baguio combined for 18 of Alaska's 15 points in the fourth quarter.

With the win, the Aces now draw even after losing game one via a Ryan Reyes trey with 14 seconds left on the clock, 66-65. - RAF/OMG, GMA News

The scores: 

 

ALASKA 100 - Casio 22, Abueva 20, Baguio 18, Thoss 13, Espinas 9, Jazul 7, Hontiveros 5, Baracael 2, Laure 2, Belasco 2, Reyes 0, Dela Cruz 0.

 

TALK N' TEXT 88 - Dillinger 26, Williams 13, Castro 12, Fonacier 10, De Ocampo 10, Peek 6, Carey 4, Alapag 4, Aban 3, Reyes 0, Alvarez 0.

 

Quarters:  21-27, 46-48, 74-68, 100-88