Three years ago, the Alaska Aces began to build an identity as the league’s comeback kings. Back then, any lead — say a 20-point deficit — would not be enough to send them to the ground, as they found so many ways to rise.
On Sunday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, their threat to make a comeback loomed, as they climbed from a deficit as huge as 30 points to threaten Kevin Alas and the surging NLEX Road Warriors.
The Aces, unfortunately, fell short of pulling the rug from underneath NLEX, bowing to them, 89-96 — a loss that puts an end to their league-best six-game winning run, which started last January 10 against the Meralco Bolts.
Despite the gallant stand the Milkmen made, that was very reminiscent of the past, Calvin Abueva — who finished with 10 points and six rebounds in the loss — was hardly sold that the team has regained that kind of ferocity.
“‘Di pa namin masasabi yan na mababalik yung Alaska na dati.
“Pero ‘pag nalusutan namin yung dalawang [huling laro namin na] ‘to, ‘pag nakapasok kami sa quarters, semis, doon namin mapapatunayan na nakakabalik na yung Alaska na dati,” asserted the 30-year-old utility forward.
Looking at the game itself, the Aces played uncharacteristically in the first three quarters, allowing the opposition to shoot 54 percent within that frame and establish 30-point leads twice in the third canto.
And it also doesn’t help that Abueva himself was in foul trouble, as he was whistled for four personal fouls in just three quarters.
“Actually di ko alam nangyari sa amin sa first quarter, second quarter, third quarter eh. At bad call lahat ng nangyari sa akin kaya ‘di ako nakagalaw ng maayos,” rued Abueva, who played a total of 18 minutes and 41 seconds.
“Nung fourth quarter, bahala na kung ano itawag sa akin para lang magawa ko yung pinapagawa sa akin,” continued the six-year pro, who scored 10 of his points in the final quarter alone after going 0-for-6 prior to such.
Still, the Aces remain stable despite the defeat. They are still in the upper echelon of the standings with a 6-3 card. And now that they have two games left in the eliminations, Abueva says that they just have to keep doing their thing.
“Kung ano lang ginagawa namin, yung pinaghihirapan namin, mas ibubuhos namin. Yun dapat naming i-focus.”
