The agony continues for the Alaska Aces
For months now, the Aces have been the image of futility, as if they are expected to lose every game they play in the 2017 Governor’s Cup. Wednesday night was another red added to their ledger after they bowed to the Blackwater Elite in double overtime.
The Milkmen showed flashes of their old self as they forced the game into two extra periods. But luck seemingly avoids them when needed, and they found themselves reeling from a 111-106 setback at the Mall of Asia Arena.
“It’s been very tough,” rued Aces import LaDontae Henton. “The guys have been tryna stay positive and doing whatever it takes to help the team win. We fell short tonight against a good team that’s really playing well with a good import.
“But I believe if we executed down the stretch a little bit better, we would’ve won the game.”
And for the 25-year-old, who led Alaska with 31 points and 10 boards, that is where the problem lies for his team — during end-games. Looking at the match alone, the Aces actually had plenty of good looks to win, but, sadly, they blew them all.
“It’s the end of the games — finishing out games,” lamented Henton. “Each and every game, we’re heading closer ’til the end, and then down the stretch, those turnovers, defensive mistakes that we make, that shouldn’t happen in a game.
“That’s how a good team wins games, and we haven’t been able to do that yet.”
As they extended their historic slump to 13 long games, the Michigan-native admitted that the Aces’ morale is obviously dragged down.
“Before the game, everybody’s positive… After the game, it’s tough,” he confessed.
“We just took a tough loss to a good team, but I felt like we should’ve won. Everybody in the locker room felt like we should’ve won. It was pretty tough.“
