ANOTHER win for Alaska, another loss for KIA.
The Aces went on a sizzling third quarter run to take the fight out of Picanto, 102-66, as they put together their first winning streak in the PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Their patented pressing defense in full display during that stretch, the Aces then went to rookie Jeron Teng on the offensive end as they outscored the Picanto, 36-5, entering the final period. The lead ballooned to its biggest at 86-46.
The scoring run stretched a close five-point Alaska lead at the half to 75-39, as the Aces coasted to their second straight win and even their record at 2-2.
The Picanto suffered their third straight blowout game and fourth in the conference, where they remained as the only team to break into the win column. Overall, the franchise has lost 16 straight games dating back to last season's Commissioner's Cup, the longest losing streak in the league since Ginebra - under former playing-coach Robert Jaworski - lost 17 straight games in the 1995 Commissioner's Cup.
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KIA lost their last three games by a losing margin of 35.6 points.
"That's the game out there," said coach Alex Compton of the Picanto's third quarter meltdown when only Eric Camson, Rashawn McCarthy, and last year's Rookie of the Year Reden Celda scored for the team.
"I thought our defensive energy was a little undirected in the first half and it cost us some baskets we don't want to give up. But in the second half, I think it was a little more focused," added Compton. "We got some teeth back on our defense and that's just one of those days."
Teng had 13 points in the third quarter breakaway and finished with a game-high 23 points on 10-of-17 shooting, while adding nine rebounds. Sophomore big man Carl Bryan Cruz added 16 on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from three-point range, while four other players finished in double figures for Alaska, including Jake Pascual, who had 10 points and 11 rebounds.
KIA was led by the 16 of McCarthy and the 15 of Camson as coach Ricky Dandan suffered his second straight loss since taking over the job left by Chris Gavina.
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The five third quarter points by the Picanto was a record low in a quarter for the franchise and the lowest scored by a team since Alaska also had five in Game One of the 2015 Philippine Cup Finals against San Miguel. (RG)
The scores:
ALASKA 102 - Teng 23, Cruz 16, Banchero 11, Abueva 10, Manuel 10, Pascual 10, Enciso 8, Thoss 5, Galliguez 5, Exciminiano 2, Potts 2, Racal 0, Casio 0.
KIA 65 - McCarthy 16, Camson 15, Tubid 13, Ababou 5, Reyes 4, Caperal 4, Celda 3, Cabrera 3, Yee 2, Galanza 0, Jamon 0, Paniamogan 0, Sara 0.
Quarters: 20-21, 39-34, 75-39, 102-65.
