The scent of victory

In the PBA Governors Cup last season, San Miguel Beer was unforgiving in mowing down Alaska, 4-0, in the best-of-7 Finals to claim the championship. San Miguel set the tone by crushing the Aces, 108-78, in Game 1 and wound up with an averaging winning margin of 13.7.

It wasn’t only the pain of losing by a sweep that toughened Alaska for the next conference. It was also the fact that the Aces were thwarted twice by the same team in the Finals of two conferences that season. Coach Alex Compton, however, wasn’t embittered. He was just determined to someday, gain payback.

Not that there’s animosity between Compton and San Miguel coach Leo Austria. Far from it. In fact, if there’s one thing that defines their relationship, it’s mutual respect. They go back a long way. When Austria was Welcoat coach, Compton was one of his imports and an assistant in his staff. But on the court, there are no friends. A job has to be done with no personal attachments. And that’s how it is in the Philippine Cup Finals where Alaska is a win away from blanking San Miguel for the title.

No doubt, Compton, 41, and Austria, 57, know about the history of the franchises they represent. San Miguel and Alaska have faced off in seven Finals so far, excluding this conference, with the Aces holding the edge, 4-3. In the 1987 Reinforced Conference, Alaska played as Hills Brothers and lost to San Miguel, then coached by Norman Black, 4-1, in the Finals. So if the 1987 season is included in the reckoning, it’s now 4-4 in the Finals matchups of the two franchises. The team that wins the Philippine Cup crown this season will go a championship up in the head-to-head duel.

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Today, San Miguel and Alaska battle in Game 4 of the Philippine Cup Finals at the PhilSports Arena. If a Game 5 is necessary, it will be played on Wednesday, Jan. 27, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. If there’s a Game 6, it will also be at the Big Dome on Friday, Jan. 29. And if San Miguel wins three in a row to force a Game 7, it will be at the Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, Feb. 3.

Unlike in San Miguel’s Governors Cup sweep, the Philippine Cup Finals isn’t lopsided despite the Aces’ 3-0 lead. That’s a tribute to San Miguel because reigning back-to-back MVP JuneMar Fajardo hasn’t played a game in the series and the Beermen have been competitive.

Fajardo is averaging 26 points, 14.9 rebounds and 36.7 minutes this conference. Those stats are missing for San Miguel in the Finals. It wasn’t known at presstime if Fajardo will play in Game 4 today. He was fitted with a specialized patellar stabilizer “palumbo” brace on his left knee at practice yesterday.

Orthopaedic surgeon Dr. George Canlas said he examined Fajardo’s knee last Monday. “JuneMar has a partially dislocated kneecap,” said Dr. Canlas. “There is still some swelling and pain. The brace is supposed to stabilize the patella. I really have no idea if he’ll be able to play in Game 4. A lot of factors must be considered before making that decision. Right now, it’s day-to-day, depending on the swelling and pain.” The brace was ordered from a US supplier in the East Coast and it arrived in Manila the other day.

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Without Fajardo, San Miguel just isn’t the same team. Yancy de Ocampo, who scored 33 points in 13 games before the Finals, has started in Fajardo’s place with his production dropping from 18 points to 13 to 2. Arwind Santos averaged 15.1 points and 8.6 boards before the Finals but in the title series so far, he’s scoring only 7.7 an outing. Alaska has found it easier to defend Santos with Fajardo out of the equation.

Before the Finals, San Miguel was No. 1 in the league in second chance points, third in rebounding, third in offense and first in blocked shots. In the Finals, San Miguel hasn’t been able to outscore Alaska in second chance points in any game and the Beermen are averaging only 82 points from 98.6 up to the semifinals. San Miguel’s lack of depth was reflected in Alaska averaging 58 bench points to the Beermen’s 23.

In Game 1, San Miguel grabbed only 28 rebounds, a huge dip from its average of 51.7 but led for 33:50 minutes and was on top, 78-66, early in the fourth period. But a shallow rotation took a toll on San Miguel down the stretch as the Aces had fresher legs to finish off stronger, 100-91. In Game 2, Alaska had three more turnovers and five less fastbreak points but controlled the tempo most of the way to win, 83-80. San Miguel had the edge in only 1:30 minutes yet could’ve stolen the game in the final minutes. In Game 3, San Miguel was in the driver’s seat for 26:25 minutes compared to Alaska’s 20:09. The Aces, however, outscored the Beermen, 27-17, in the fourth period to seal it.

In the fourth quarter of every contest in the series, Alaska has put in more points, 34-16 in the opener, 21-20 in Game 2 and 27-17 in Game 3. The Aces have also shot at a higher clip than the Beermen in each encounter, 52 percent to 49 in Game 1, 45 to 36 in Game 2 and 40 to 38 in Game 3. Alaska has outrebounded San Miguel in each game, too – 48 to 23 in Game 1, 46 to 45 in Game 2 and 49 to 44 in Game 3.

Even if San Miguel manages to extend the series with a win in Game 4, it’s unlikely Alaska will lose four in a row. The challenge for San Miguel is to avoid being swept. And for Alaska, it’s payback time.