Alaska stays alive, beats ROS in Game 4

JAY R. GOTERA Saudi Gazette MANILA — Alaska lived to fight another day as the Aces finally found the spark to unleash its vaunted defense and torrid outside shooting en route to a 111-99 victory over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in Game 4 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven Finals Friday night. The Aces thus avoided a Finals sweep, which befell them during the championship of this season’s Philippine Cup against the San Miguel Beermen. The Painters, though, still hold an imposing 3-1 lead in the series and could wrap it all with a win this Sunday. Import Rob Dozier paced Alaska with 23 points and eight boards, with Chris Banchero and Calvin Abueva providing the energy and firepower off the bench. Banchero finished with 17 points, eight assists, and three boards in 25 minutes, while Abueva had 14 points, 10 boards, four assists, and one steal in 26 minutes. However, Abueva, who received the Best Player of the Conference award before the game, failed to finish the game after he was called for a second technical foul that led to his ejection late in the final quarter. Alaska’s victory spoiled the fiery performance of Rain or Shine rookie Maverick Ahanmisi who scored a career-high 30 points. The Aces went all out for the win right from the get-go, erecting a 15-point lead, 54-39, at halftime. They even increased their lead to 23 points, 90-67, heading into the fourth quarter. The Painters put up a fight in the fourth quarter, cutting the Aces’ lead to just eight points, 107-99, after an Ahanmisi three-pointer with 41 seconds left. But an endgame collapse was too much for the Aces to consider as they made one last push to finally inflict the Painters’ first loss in the Finals. Before the game, Abueva was named as the Best Player of the Conference for the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup—his first individual award in the league. Abueva amassed a total of 1,150 votes to beat Greg Slaughter of Ginebra (752 votes), GlobalPort’s Terrence Romeo (488 votes), TNT’s Jayson Castro (482 votes), and Blackwater’s Carlo Lastimosa (378 votes). Meanwhile, Arinze Onuaku of the Meralco Bolts was named as the Bobby Parks Best Import. He topped the field with 1132 votes to lord over competitors Pierre Henderson-Niles of Rain or Shine (871 votes), Rob Dozier of Alaska (692 votes), and Arizona Reid of San Miguel (555 votes). Game Sunday: Rain or Shine Elasto Painters vs. Alaska Aces (Game 5 of best-of-7 Finals: ROS up 3-1). CAPTION: Alaska’s Calvin Abueva gets double-teamed by Rain or Shine’s Maverick Ahanmisi (13) and Jericho Cruz in Game 4 of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum Friday.