Aces dump Texters, complete Final 4

Game tomorrow

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

5 p.m. – San Miguel vs Rain or Shine

MANILA, Philippines - Alaska Milk ripped into pieces and neatly dumped into the trash bin the possible story line of a first ever title playoff between sister teams Tropang TNT and Meralco.

Alaska made it all moot and academic in a game it dominated with consummate ease.

The Aces methodically pulled away from a tight game in the second quarter and reduced the Texters to pieces in the final half, hacking out a 99-81 win to grab the last berth in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup Final Four at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

 Minus the injury-stricken top forward Vic Manuel, the Aces completed a fightback from their Game One loss, outsmarting and outplaying the Texters in the deciding Game Three to advance to the best-of-five semifinals versus the top-seeded Meralco Bolts.

Rob Dozier and his teammates ended TNT’s title reign in the mid-season tourney and kept Alaska on track for a possible third straight finals stints.

No Sister Act or no duel of sister teams is happening in the semis as Alaska foiled the anticipated Meralco-TNT showdown while Rain or Shine crushed the keenly awaited San Miguel Beer-Barangay Ginebra faceoff.

The E-Painters and the Beermen open their semis playoff at 5 p.m. tomorrow at the Big Dome while the Aces and the Bolts start their own semis confrontation Monday in the same venue.

 As in the previous game, the Aces put in a tremendous defensive job to hold the Texters to only 81 points.

On the offensive end, Dozier and Calvin Abueva top scored with 20 and 18 points, respectively, with seven other Aces chipping in at least seven each.

Eric Menk and Dondon Hontiveros, rested almost the entire elims, came out and dished out key games, combining for 18 markers and six rebounds.

 “Of all the things I expected, I didn’t expect that,” said Alaska coach Alex Compton of the rout.

“I’m just proud of my team’s defense. Against a super talented team like TNT, defense has to be near perfect. As a coach, I know nothing’s gonna be perfect but there’s nothing more than I can ask for. The guys make me so proud to be their coach. I’m grateful they put that effort out there,” Compton also said.

The Aces thoroughly beat the Texters in the last three quarters, leading by as many as 25 at 91-66.

Alaska pummeled TNT in the second quarter, cutting loose from a seesawing battle to pull away, 53-37, at halftime.

The Texters were still ahead, 30-31, before starting to fade.

Dozier, Abueva, Ping Exciminiano, Eric Menk and RJ Jazul led Alaska’s charge as they pounded the Texters, 32-16, in the second period.

Not helping TNT’s cause were the early fouls committed by Troy Rosario, Moala Tautuaa, Dylan Ababou and Ryan Reyes.

Tautuaa and Reyes were called a flagrant foul each on Menk and Exciminiano, respectively.

The scores:

ALASKA 99 – Dozier 20, Abueva 18, Menk 10, Baguio 8, Dela Cruz 8, Exciminiano 8, Hontiveros 8, Thoss 8, Jazul 7, Baclao 4, Banchero 0.

TROPANG TNT 81 – Simon 20, Fonacier 19, Rosario 13, De Ocampo 8, Castro 6, Reyes R. 5, Tautuaa 4, Carey 2, Rosser 2, Williams 2, Ababou 0.

Quarterscores: 21-21, 53-37, 77-57, 99-81