ALASKA tries to capitalize on the shift of momentum as the Aces go for the series equalizer against the Magnolia Hotshots in Game Four of the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup best-of-seven titular showdown on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Aces got their winning ways back after successive losses with a 100-71 victory on Sunday.
Eager to put the duel in equal footing, Alaska tries to replicate the huge win in the match set at 7 p.m.
But Head Coach Alex Compton said their Game Three victory meant little as they still trail in the Finals.
“If you ask me, would I rather won this game by that score or be up 2-1? I’d gladly be up, 2-1,” Compton said. “We’re still down. Don’t get me wrong. I’m glad we won. It’s better to win, but we’re still down 2-1.”
The Aces dealt the Hotshots their worst loss in the Finals with the 29-point setback. The franchise’s previous worst record was in Game Five of the 1997 Governors’ Cup, 66-94, which, coincidentally, was against Alaska, too.
With the humiliation that Magnolia got, Compton braced for an uprising by their opponents.
“I can almost guarantee you that there won’t be another game like this in the Finals. That’s what I think,” Compton said. “I don’t think Game Four will be anything like this [Game Three]. While it would be great to hope that this would happen every game, that’s like a fairy tale. That’s not going to happen.”
Import Mike Harris powered the Aces with 36 points, Vic Manuel added 14, while Simon Enciso and Carl Bryan Cruz chipped in 12 and 10, respectively.
Alaska trailed in the first quarter, until Cruz initiated his team’s 34-point production in the second quarter.
From there, the lead ballooned to 36 in the final quarter behind Manuel’s basket with under eight minutes left.
Compton is hoping that they would flash the same performance in Game Four.
“We’re going to try and come back and bring the same level of intensity,” he said.
The league will award the best local player and best import of the conference before the game.
Paul Lee of Magnolia, Chris Banchero of Alaska and Christian Standhardinger are the top picks for the Best Player of the Conference award, while Harris, Magnolia’s Romeo Travis, Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee, Meralco’s Allen Durham, Phoenix’s Eugune Phelps and Blackwater’s Heny Walker are the bets for the Best Import race.