Alaska needs Mr. M and Star Magic

This post is originally published by yours truly in the blog site The Hotdog Stand, where I am one of the contributors.


 In yesterday's PBA game, we saw how the recent blockbuster trade benefited Air21 in their campaign this Commissioner's Cup. Dondon Hontiveros, Danny Seigle, Dorian Peña, and Paul Artadi have masterfully led the Express to the last playoff spot, effectively eliminating B-MEG from playoff contention. The Express showed great heart and effort to get the win.

And at the same time, I was dumbfounded by how GREAT, yeah, how great Alaska Aces screwed up the game. It can't get any worse than what they showed in the last minute of the ball game.

It's a bad acting job for a team that is raring to get back at B-MEG, which came back from a 1-3 deficit in the '05-'06 Philippine Cup semifinals and eventually won the title, and swept them in the '09-'10 Philippine Cup Finals.


First of all, I can't find any good explanation for how Tim Cone and the Aces wanted to treat the game as a "playoff match" already (as what the courtside reporter mentioned last night). In the third quarter, Tim Cone used Paolo Bugia, Bonbon Custodio, and Brandon Cablay in the crucial stretch where Air21 built it's double-digit margin.

But hey! They found a way to come back into the ball game. Thanks to LD's thunderous jams, Alaska got as within three points. And with a minute left in the ball game, LD Williams may have finally realized what his teammates are aiming to do, after all. And he joined the partey!

Half a minute left in the ball game, the Express leading by three points, LD Williams went for an ill-advised three. Tenorio got the ball and went back to the three point line and threw the ball anywhere near the rim. Then, Borboran got the offensive rebound and went for another trey. Brick.

The Express got the ball and the rest is history.

But wait, there's more! Just when everybody thought that Alaska's show has ended already, there's still another class act waiting for all of the PBA fans. With the Express leading by five points, the Aces were taking time inbounding the ball, and when they did, Mr. Big Shot LA Tenorio SLIPPED awkwardly and lost the ball. With a frown in his face, it signified how sad he was to lose the game. And happy that they won't be facing B-MEG anywhere in the playoffs.


Obviously, it's a bad day at the office for the Alaska Aces. They played a really bad acting job.