Games on Wednesday: (Araneta Coliseum)

5:15 p.m. – Alaska vs. Ginebra
7:30 p.m. – Barako Bull vs. Meralco


ONCE again, Shopinas.com gave its best shot. Yet once again, it wasn’t just good enough.

Alaska repelled a spirited rally from 15 points down by Shopinas.com in the fourth quarter, escaping with an 86-80 win and keeping its hopes alive for a berth in the playoffs of the PBA Philippine Cup last night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Big man Sonny Thoss scored the Aces’ final four points inside the last 3:02 including a crucial follow-up off a fall-away miss by LA Tenorio as Alaska recorded its first back-to-back wins in the season-opening conference.

“Somehow, at some point, I was a little bit scared,” said Aces’ coach Joel Banal. “They (Clickers) went small and they found the mismatches in speed. But Sonny just gave us a big lift. We’re becoming successful on capitalizing on our size. We just have to keep on working and working to get where we want to be.”

The place Alaska wants to be right now is in the playoffs, and it has made a vital, giant step by tying idle Powerade – a franchise that has not stepped into the quarter-final round the past seven conferences -- in the standings with its third win in 10 games. Both the Aces and the Tigers have four games left in the elimination round.


JR Reyes finally showcased his sensational side with 17 rebounds, 13 points and four blocks, and Thoss had 15 points. Cyrus Baguio scored 10 points in the first quarter to finish with 12.

RJ Jazul led the Clickers with 24 points and Jojo Duncil was the only other player from the bottom-dwelling franchise to submit an output in double figures with 13.

It has always been the weakness of Shopinas.com to fade when crunch time approaches, and the game last night was no different, having nearly pulled off an uprising after the Aces went on top by as large as 75-60 early in the fourth quarter on a basket by Eric Salamat with 9:09 left to play.

The Aces were still well in front, 80-69 when the Clickers unleashed their run.

Pong Escobal hit a three, James Sena converted on a lay-up, and Jazul had four points in a 9-0 blast as Shopinas.com came to within 80-78 with 3:31 remaining in the contest.

But Thoss maneuvered his way around his defender and let loose a lay-up attempt, and Elmer Espiritu tried to block it but was whistled for a goal-tending violation, before Duncil retaliated with his own short jumper to make it an 82-80 ball game.

After a series of misfires and turnovers, Tenorio tried to take matters into his own hands. He slashed through the middle but suddenly faded back for a shot. His attempt fell short, but Thoss was just underneath the basket for the follow-up, 84-80, with 54.3 seconds to go.

Jazul then missed a three-point shot, and after Tenorio launched an airball attempt on rainbow country, Duncil lost possession of the leather with 11 seconds left to play.

The Clickers have now lost 11 straight games.


The scores:

Alaska (86) -- Thoss 15, Reyes 13, Baguio 12, Custodio 10, Dela Cruz 9, Baracael 8, Tenorio 8, Salamat 4, Bugia 4, Eman 3.

Shopinas.com (80) -- Jazul 24,Duncil 13, Sena 8, Hubalde 8, Sison 7, Espiritu 7, Escobal 6, Ritualo 3, Mirza 2, Daa 2, Menor 0, Aquino 0, Se 0.

Quarterscores: 19-18, 45-40, 71-58, 86-80.