A dogfight is expected as Alaska Milk and GlobalPort slug it out in a knockout showdown for the last berth in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs at the MOA Arena in Pasay City Sunday.
Tip-off is at 6:30 p.m. with the winner advancing to the post-elims play with Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel Beer, Star, TNT KaTropa, Meralco, Rain or Shine and Phoenix Petroleum while the loser joins Mahindra, Blackwater and NLEX in the sidelines.
Both sides promise to go all out in a bid to extend their conference and set up a quarterfinals matchup with Barangay Ginebra.
“Last chance. No excuses. It is time for our best,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton whose chargers found themselves in a tight spot after losing all their last seven games.
Needless to say, GlobalPort coach Franz Pumaren also hopes the best for his team.
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For Ginebra coach Tim Cone, both could be an interesting matchup for the Kings.
“If we play Alaska, it will be the third straight quarterfinal against Alaska,” Cone said. “They’re an incredibly dangerous team and when they got things going well, they’re very, very good.
“The other choice is (Terrence) Romeo and (Stanley) Pringle, and it’s an incredible challenge staying with those guys,” he added.
The Aces and the Batang Pier are in precarious position, both needing to win three KO matches to make the semifinals.
Compton said they would have a chance to survive if they play the game they put up against the Star Hotshots Wednesday.
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“We just lost to an excellent, well-coached team that deserved to win. Paul (Lee) and Justin (Melton) hit two thirty-five footers that were huge in the outcome,” said Compton of their 98-102 loss in overtime to the Hotshots.
“All losses are bothersome, but I told the guys one thing, I asked them coming into this game not for a win, not to be perfect in execution; I said I want my team back today,” Compton added. “And I felt I got my team back.”
Alaska was a shade of its old competitive form in its previous losses.
The Aces got off to a rousing 4-0 start before going on a slump. A part of their roll was a 107-79 rout of the Batang Pier on March 18.
But GlobalPort hotshot Terrence Romeo was in sickbay then, and the Batang Pier were still then awaiting the availability of import Justin Harper.
Cory Jefferson had 28 points and 14 rebounds while then GlobalPort reinforcement Sean Williams had 18 markers and 19 boards.
