Aces annex 13th title the easy way

MANILA, Philippines - Alaska Milk, going short in Game Five, returned to fight relentlessly throughout last night, trouncing a stunned San Miguel Beer side, 102-88, to claim the 2010 PBA Fiesta Conference championship before a mammoth cheering crowd at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Aces were all business, winning the game and the series with a dominating Game Six performance that capped a sensational playoffs run leading to their first championship in three years and their 13th overall in franchise history.

“We’d had 12 championships but this one was so special, considering the road we took going here,” said Alaska coach Tim Cone after finally matching the title haul of the legendary Crispa Redmanizers.

“July 4 was our last dayoff and had to go through a road so incredible. It was so special winning against great teams, great coaches,” added Cone of the championship the team dedicated to the late Wilfred Uytengsu, father of team owner Wilfred Steven.

Alaska, a team with a proud winning tradition, reemerged as the league’s best, ending San Miguel’s reign as Fiesta Conference champion.

The Aces distinguished themselves the best of the season as they took the Fiesta Conference crown after a runner-up finish to the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants in the Philippine Cup.

They won the season-ending tourney on an astonishing playoffs ride that saw them hurdle the Ginebra Kings in the quarterfinals, the top-seeded Talk n Text Tropang Texters in the semifinals then the second ranked Beermen in the finale.

The fourth-ranked Aces played 18 straight games in the post elims plays to bag the precious hardware.

The Aces never lacked heroes in their stirring run, the biggest of them being import Diamon Simpson who gave the Beermen much trouble all series long.

Cyrus Baguio and LA Tenorio stood the best among the locals and they shared the Welcoat Paints Fiesta Conference Finals MVP award.

Baguio averaged 15 points, 3.3 assists and 2.7 rebounds while Tenorio normed 11.5 points, 6.0 assists and 5.0 rebounds.

In the title clincher, Simpson put in 28 points, 19 rebounds, five rebounds and three assists, Baguio chipped in 24 points, three rebounds and two steals while Tenorio chipped in 12 points, 11 assists and six rebounds.

The Aces pulled one big game together, hardly giving the Beermen a chance to extend the series to one more game.

“Alaska took me from Ginebra and they gave me a chance to show my ware. I just gave back something to them,” said Baguio, the team’s acquisition from the Gin Kings after the all-Filipino tourney.

“After four finals, I finally got one (championship). It’s so sweet,” said Tenorio.

The Aces worked on all cylinders early and took the half at 52-44.

Simpson, Baguio and Joe De Vance logged double-digit outputs right in the first half, enabling the Aces to enjoy a 14-point spread at 41-27 before settling for the eight-point halftime margin.

Gabe Freeman carried the fight for SMB practically by his lonesome early on, coming through with an 11-point effort in the second period capped by a three-point play that cut their deficit t o four, 41-45.

De Vance checked their silence with his own three-point play coming off a timeout and the Aces completed a 7-2 closing roll allowing them to carry an eight-point lead into the second half.

Baguio waxed hot at the start, scattering 15 points before a picking up a third foul just 19 minutes into the contest.

The reed-thin off-guard went 2-of-2 from beyond the arc, 3-of-5 from the two-point zone and 3-of-3 from the stripe in the first half.

The Aces took control early with a tall starting lineup in Simpson, De Vance, Baguio, Sonny Thoss and Tenorio against Freeman, Arwind Santos, Jay Washington, Denok Miranda and Dondon Hontiveros.

De Vance and Baguio teamed up in an 11-2 blitz that had the Aces darting to a 21-13 lead.