In what could be the microcosm of the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals series so far for the Alaska Aces, the team gave up a fastbreak lay-up to Jericho Cruz just moments after Chris Banchero hit a three.
No one went right back on defense.
The Aces on the floor stopped playing for a while to motion to the officials that Banchero’s shot–which appeared to tapped by Calvin Abueva on its way in–should have been counted a three. The Aces gave up a quick basket in return for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, which at that point took a 102-81 lead.
Lapses. Defensive breakdowns. Not being sharp. The things Alaska head coach Alex Compton talked about in the past two Aces losses were again the central theme of his post-game talk for Game Three.
“We have to be sharper. Probably sounds redundant. But we have to be better than that,” Compton said.
For the third straight game, Compton spoke about his squad’s lack of effort and poise. And his disappointment already reached new levels after the Aces’ Game Three setback.
“You guys watched the game, disappointing would be an understatement for our effort in the first half. Zero excuses for that kind of energy and effort. Rain or Shine really dominated us,” Compton said. “I’m not sure how you don’t show up in Game Three.”
Compton even had time to sneak in a San Miguel Beermen reference as his team ended up staring at a 0-3 hole after Wednesday.
“Better have some San Miguel so we can have a Beeracle happen,” he said.
Alaska let Rain or Shine shoot 15-for-31 from three-point area, and gave away nine more fastbreak points. The Aces were thoroughly outplayed in the middle two quarters where the Elasto Painters led by as much as 25 points.
Though the Aces outscored the Elasto Painters in the fourth quarter, 36-17–the first time the Aces have won a fourth quarter through three games in the series–Compton still rued how his squad “dishonored” the match to begin with, which eventually led to the Aces’ demise in the match.
“We just talked about essentially some details. We dishonored the game for a larger stretch before we decided to turn it on,” Compton shared. “We are playing the best offensive team in the league, great system, well coached.”
The mentor also said the way Alaska played in the second and third periods did not reflect the type of basketball they were known for and were expected to bring especially in a championship-level game.
“You can’t put it in any way. I think there is a stretch where it was the most disappointing stretch that I have called in Alaska basketball,” he added.
“It is shocking. Really shocking,” he said. “That didn’t felt like our team. I am disappointed with our lack of action, lack of activity. We are not super sharp with what we are doing.”
Visibly frustrated throughout the post-game press conference, Compton concluded the only way for the Aces to score a victory in the series is to execute on both ends for an entire match.
“Obviously disappointing. For me it is absolutely about pride. Maybe I am old-fashioned but I am about every possession. Every aspect of every possession. Unless we are competing, trying to win every aspect of every possession, we won’t really have a chance,” Compton said.
“I want to win everything. But the marathon is broken in bits. You can’t win it in just a step. We came here to win a series. I don’t think you win a series with homerun-hero plays and lack of attention to details.”
The Aces possibly have just one last attempt to do that. And unless that happens, the only inevitable in this series is Rain or Shine winning it all.
