Aces overpower Bolts by 41 pts

Games tomorrow (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

3 p.m. – Barako vs San Miguel Beer

5:15 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Talk n Text

MANILA, Philippines - Alaska Milk, flashing its most competitive form since its 2013 Commissioner’s Cup title run, stretched its unbeaten streak with yet another overpowering performance, blasting erstwhile co-leader Meralco, 105-64, in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

The Aces shot 62 percent (31-of-50) from the two-point zone and 48 percent (10-21) from the three-point area, and held the Bolts to a woeful 23-of-71 clip in pulling off the franchise’s most lopsided victory in 14 long years.

Alaska improved to 3-0 while Meralco dropped to 2-1.

Curiously, the Aces won their first three games in PBA Season 40 by 63 points – 61 against former coaches Tim Cone and Luigi Trillo with their new teams.

“Absolutely not,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton in answer to query if they had their former coaches in mind in hammering out the rout.

“Our guys just played fantastic and Meralco had an off night. And it happens. I was on the losing end (of that kind of game before),” said Compton, recalling their 51-point blowout by Rain or Shine last conference.

“We played hard and we shot the ball pretty well. Up to the end, our shots were falling,” Compton added.

The Alaska reserves delivered the job, walloping their Meralco counterparts, 78-31.

Vic Manuel, Dondon Hontiveros and Chris Banchero all put in double-digit outputs off the bench as Alaska scored its biggest win since a 48-point massacre of Tanduay in a battle for third place in the 2000 Commissioner’s Cup.

Mark Barroca scored 15 of his 25 points in the fourth quarter and Purefoods Star overcame an early 18-point deficit, stopping Globalport, 81-75, for its first win since its four-peat feat.

 Marc Pingris delivered with clutch plays in his PBA comeback from Gilas Pilipinas, helping Purefoods finally make the win-column after three starts in the new season.

 The Hotshots caught up with the Batang Pier, the Talk n Text Warriors and the Kia Sorento at 1-2.

 “We’re in a danger zone right now. We’re in a danger area to live. Fortunately, we’re able to come back with our young team,” said Purefoods coach Tim Cone. “You can’t do that against seasoned teams. You fell behind by 16 and you’re gone.”

The 41-point defeat, meanwhile, went down as the second worst for Meralco in franchise history or the worst since a 95-139 demolition by Rain or Shine in the 2012 Philippine Cup.

The Aces scored all the games’ first seven points, took the first quarter at 25-15, then the half at 54-37 and never let up till the very end.

They showed no mercy, still pressing full court even with a 40-point bulge with a minute left to play.

“I would not want to play them next,” said Compton. “With the character that they have, they will bounce back strong. That’s my heartfelt belief.”

Applying the same kind of defense (unrelenting full-court) they did against Purefoods, the Aces battered the Bolts in each quarter.

Forcing Meralco to commit 18 errors, the Aces scored 23 points off those Meralco bloopers as against the Bolts’ six.

The scores:

First Game

ALASKA 105 – Manuel 17, Hontiveros 16, Banchero 11, Abueva 10, Baguio 8, Jazul 8, Exciminiano 7, Eman 6, Dela Rosa 6, Thoss 5, Bugia 4, Vanlandingham 3, Dela Cruz 2, Casio 2.

MERALCO 64 – Hodge 16, Anthony 11, Dillinger 9, Hugnatan 6, Buenafe 5, Ildefonso 4, David 4, Morrison 3, Wilson 2, Cortez 2, Ferriols 2, Atkins 0, Sena 0, Guevarra 0.

Quarterscores: 25-15, 54-37, 76-52, 105-64

Second Game

PUREFOODS 81 – Barroca 25, Maliksi 20, Simon 12, Devance 10, Pingris 9, Taha 3, Melton 2, Reavis 0, Holstein 0, Mallari 0, Gaco 0, Allado 0, Matias 0.

 GLOBALPORT 75 – Pringle 20, Isip 17, Cabagnot 12, Jensen 7, Romeo 5, Nabong 5, Buenafe 3, Taha 2, Ponferada 2, De Ocampo 2, Semerad 0, Duncil 0, Baclao 0.

 Quarterscores: 15-26, 24-50, 51-53, 81-75