The Alaska Aces extends the best-of-seven championship series in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals against the Rain or Shine by defeating the leading team on Sunday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum with score of 86-78. Alaska lived to fight another day as they extends the Finals series through the leadership of Calvin Abueva, the newly-awarded Best Player of the Conference title-holder.
Calvin Abueva performed impressively with his big plays on both ends of the court particularly in the final period as he finished with a game-high 20 points and added with a remarkable 13 rebounds lifting his team with their second straight win after losing the first three games.
The Aces has now cut the deficit in the best-of-seven finals series to just one game, 3-2 and can even force for a deciding Game 7 if they win once more on Wednesday at the historic Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
During the previous four games of the series, the Alaska Aces gave up an average of 105.25 points but during the Game 5, Alaska limited the Elasto Painters to their lowest scoring output in the past four conferences. The Elasto Painters only shot 43% from the field, including only 20% from beyond the arc.
Aside from Calvin Abueva, veteran sharphooter Dondon Hontiveros came up with a huge play during Game 5 by scoring a lay-up while also drawing the fifth foul of ROS import Pierre Henderson-Nile. Hontiveros completed the three-point play to give Alaska the lead for good, 72-69, and Abueva made it 74-69 with 4:47 to go in the final period.
The Aces also got an impressive performance from four other players who scored in double-digits headed by their import Rob Dozier who added with 14 points, Jazul scoring 13, Hontiveros going for 12, and Cyrus Baguio scoring 11 markers. The Aces, as a team, converted 41% of their shots and made 23 of their 27 free throws.
For the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, veteran Gilas mainstay, Jeff Chan led his team with 17 points, 13 of which came in the first half. Veteran playmaker Paul Lee was the only other Elasto Painter in double-digits, finishing with 16 markers.
The scores:
ALASKA 86 – Abueva 20, Dozier 14, Jazul 13, Hontiveros 12, Baguio 11, Banchero 6, Racal 5, Baclao 2, Thoss 2, Dela Rosa 1.
RAIN OR SHINE 78 – Chan 17, Lee 16, Quinahan 9, Cruz 8, Ponferada 8, Henderson Niles 6, Norwood 5, Belga 4, Almazan 2, Ibanes 2, Ahanmisi 1, Tiu 0.
Quarters: 15-19, 37-40, 56-57, 86-78
