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With injured starting guard JVee Casio and import Damion James out of the game late in the first overtime, Alaska’s local players stepped up their game to bring home the bacon with a double overtime win, 108-103, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Tuesday night.
”James recorded 25 points, 12 reboundes and two blocks before fouling out with 47.3 seconds left in OT but the Aces’ locals stepped up collectively to fill the void. A basket by Sonny Thoss broke the game’s final deadlock, giving Alaska a 101-99 lead with 2:20 left,” reports Mark Giongo on Inquirer.net.
The Aces was certainly hungry for the win. Alaska guard Cyrus Baguio’s two free throws with 1:25 left in regulation time tied the game at 87. James could’ve won it for Alaska with a drive to the basket in the dying seconds of regulation but he was rudely disrupted Meralco’s Josh Davis.
It was the four free throws by Dondon Hontiveros with only 15.8 seconds left in the second overtime that sealed Alaska’s victory.
Alaska’s win brought Meralco’s standing down to second place, allowing Purefoods to hop two places up to the top spot in a single day. Purefoods initially clinched the solo second spot in the earlier game against the Barako Bulls.
Photo: PBA Images/Inquirer.net
