Alaska Aces Game 6: Slip sliding

Slip sliding

Alaska 83 vs. Talk ‘N Text 93

by rick olivares pic by tunying p

October 31, 2010

Araneta Coliseum

Larry Fonacier was having a tough time getting his game going. He wasn’t surprised after all, his new team, Talk ‘N Text, was playing his old one, the Alaska Aces.

The game wasn’t anything special or didn’t have any extra meaning such as payback for ditching him not soon after they won a championship. “I’m beyond that. It’s different in the pros.” Said the lanky but sweet shooting forward. “I was just thinking that we need to win to break away from the middle of the pack because there are many teams there with similar two-loss records.’

His former team in the meantime wasn’t taking him likely. “We have to stop Larry and Jimmy (Alapag) from getting into their comfort zone,” reminded Alaska assistant coach Jojo Lastimosa to his guards – LA Tenorio, Cyrus Baguio, Bonbon Custodio, Tony dela Cruz. “Larry’s playing with a lot more confidence now.”

It wasn’t only Fonacier and Mighty Mouse the Aces were worried about. It was the Tropang Texters’ corps of insanely athletic bigs like Harvey Carey, Ali Peek, Kelly Williams, and Jared Dillinger. And Ranidel de Ocampo was still out with an injury.

In the macho rite of the jungle of pro basketball, the shaded lane as former Chicago Bull assistant coach Johnny Bach’s would call it, was “the alligator wrestling pond.*” “REBOUND” scribbled Aces’ head coach Tim Cone in big bold letters inside the team’s dugout. “It will be our weakness.”

True enough, Talk ‘N Text’s first 10 points all came from close range.

Then the Aces countered with a run that saw them behind by three 25-28 by the end of the first quarter. But Cone was worried. “We got back by playing a lot of one-on-one. We have to stick with the system.” he whispered to assistant Joel Banal.

A pair of treys helped the Aces take a 46-44 lead into the half but Cone wasn’t satisfied. The team had been unable to really control the game and a turnover in the dying seconds of the second quarter saw Dillinger sprint for a layup to bring Alaska’s lead down to two.

A furrow developed on Cone’s brow. His team was up but they had given up eight offensive boards. Worse, they had 13 turnovers. The Aces were fortunate that Talk ‘N Text only had two turnover points. “We gotta work harder, fellas. I need to you to concentrate and commit to what we decide to do.”

Over at Texters’ dugout, the coaching staff noted that when Alaska went with a smaller line-up, they were unable to dominate them. When they countered with a similar smaller team on the floor, the Aces got better.

“Coach Tim has a good feel for what (former Alaska assistant) Coach Chot does,” said Alaska’s Luigi Trillo.

“I think I have a good feel for what Coach Tim does,” Reyes said over at the other room.

Stalemate. Or at least the two teams were close to it.

As the game resumed, the Aces finally got their triangle off and running as they found Sonny Thoss on a flash for an easy layup, Tenorio for two free throws after a blow-by Alapag, a couple of buckets by dela Cruz, and drive by Joe Devance, and a fastbreak layup by Thoss after he picked Dillinger’s pocket at midcourt.

The Texters’ called for time 56-50 Alaska.

In the huddle, Fonacier was looking at his teammates’ faces to see how they’d respond to the masters of half court execution. The ball movement was stretching their defense and it took a Williams triple to keep Alaska’s lead to six. That shot was a step behind the three-point arc with no teammate nearby for the rebound. But it dropped.

Towards the end of the third quarter, Reyes sent Fonacier back to the fray. The 6’2” swingman hit huge triple that cut Alaska’s lead to one 62-61. He drove and sent two passes Peek’s and William’s way but the two were unable to field. “He’s feeling it,” Cone sounded the alarm.

With Reynel Hugnatan killing Talk ‘N Text inside, Fonacier was socking it to the Aces. Longtime teammate Rich Alvarez found him alone in the left corner pocket and Fonacier hit another trey with this one to level the match at 66. Although the Aces took a 70-68 lead at the end of the third, the Texters’ regained the momentum. Peek, another former Alaska player, scaled the taller Aces for putbacks and backup guard Jason Castro began to nail jumpers and layups that finished off their foe.

Reyes’ team dropped 25 points on Alaska. They had blanked the Aces in a crucial three-minute stretch that when DeVance finally scored inside, Talk ‘N Text still had a 10-point lead with 3:31 to play.  And in the match’s homestretch, they matched Alaska point for point to put the game away and continue the Aces’ losing streak that was now at three.

It was the team’s first three-game losing streak since they were swept in the Philippine Cup Finals by Purefoods. It was a quiet locker room as the Aces stewed on the loss.

Cone in the meantime was in the other room vacated by Barako Bull to compose his thoughts and words he would say when he entered the dugout. His team was in trouble. They were even in the rebound battle at 46 but TNT pulled down 16 offensive boards to Alaska’s seven. The Texters also managed their turnovers well as they only had 14 while Alaska had a whopping 26. That alone said it. Talk ‘n Text converted 26 turnover points and eight second chance points. The Aces on the other hand, only had a collective nine points. To make things worse, the cherished triangle was in tatters. His team added only seven more assists in the second half to its game total of 17. Their opponents, who run a system where anyone is licensed to shoot if they are open, double their dishes with nine for the final 24 minutes for a total of 18 for the game. 

“Now it’s different,” said Cone when he addressed his team that was now at 3-3 (Talk ‘N Text was at 5-1 tied with San Miguel Beer for the pole position of the 14-game elimination round tournament).

“I’m not worried about them,” said Fonacier of his former team’s slide as he made his way for a late night dinner at Pancake House. “They eventually figure things out and play better as the tournament goes on.”

Talk ‘N Text 93 – Castro 17, Alapag 16, Dillinger 13, Carey 12, Williams 11, Peek 10, Fonacier 8, Reyes 6, Aban 0, Alvarez 0

Alaska 83 – DeVance 23, Hugnatan 13, Thoss 12, Tenorio 11, Baguio 10, dela Cruz 8, Custodio 4, Borboran 2, Eman 0




PBA Philippine Cup standings as of October 31, 2010
San Miguel Beer 5-1
Talk 'N Text 5-1
Barangay Ginebra 4-2
Alaska 3-3
Powerade 3-3
Rain or Shine 3-4
Barako Bull 2-4
Air21 2-3
Meralco 2-4
B-Meg Derby Ace 1-5