(UPDATED) The Alaska Aces barged into the playoffs and dealt NLEX's own bid a huge blow after a tough 122-119 overtime win over the Road Warriors, Monday evening at the Angeles University Foundation Gym in Angeles City, Pampanga.
The Aces had to weather a 30-point, seven-assist performance from Kiefer Ravena before grabbing their seventh win in the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup. They are the first team to wrap up their elimination round schedule, putting together a 7-4 win-loss record.
While Alaska is through to the quarterfinals and still has a chance at a Top 4 finish, NLEX's own playoff bid suffered a huge blow. The Road Warriors saw their three-game winning streak come to an end, and they dropped to 4-6 in the conference.
"It was very difficult," Alaska coach Jeff Cariaso said of the game. "That's what we expected going into this game. We knew how hot NLEX had been in their last three games. They're in shape already, their flow is good, their chemistry is good."
"It's one of those games where we're able to pull it off down the stretch," he added. "So I'm happy with the focus of the guys… They were ready."
Both teams had their chances to win the game in regulation.
Ravena completed an and-1 with under 50 seconds to go that pushed NLEX ahead, 108-106, only for JVee Casio to pounce on a mismatch with JR Quinahan on the other end. The veteran guard zoomed past the NLEX big man for the layup that tied the game with 40 seconds to go.
Ravena bricked a pull-up jumper in NLEX's next possession, but Alaska could not secure the win as Casio's finger-roll hit iron, and time ran out on the Road Warriors.
Alaska pulled away in overtime when Rodney Brondial scored off a loose ball for a 115-113 lead, and then rejected Ravena on the other end. In the ensuing fastbreak, Robbie Herndon set up Mike DiGregorio for the booming triple that made it a five-point game.
NLEX still had its chances. They trailed by just three points, 120-117, after Ravena's layup, but he could not complete the and-1 after also being fouled by Maverick Ahanmisi. The Aces kept the door open for the Road Warriors when DiGregorio missed a jumper, but Raul Soyud and Ravena both misfired on three-pointers that could have tied the game.
A long two-pointer by Quinahan made it a one-possession game with four seconds to go, 121-119, but a split at the line by Abu Tratter was enough to peg the final score and secure the victory for Alaska.
"We just wanted to come out and play aggressive. We knew how big this game was," said Ahanmisi, who scored 12 of his team-high 25 points in the fourth quarter and overtime before fouling out with just over a minute to go. He also had 12 rebounds and four assists in the game.
Casio had a throwback performance, putting up 19 points, while Tratter finished with 16 points.
Squandered in the defeat was Ravena's superb outing, as well as a 24-point, nine-rebound performance from Quinahan. Jericho Cruz added 18 points, and Kevin Alas had 13 points and seven assists.
NLEX no longer has its fate in its hands. They have one game left -- a date against TerraFirma on Wednesday.
However, if Rain or Shine beats TNT Tropang Giga on Tuesday afternoon, the Elasto Painters will complete the quarterfinals cast and eliminate NLEX from contention.
https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/11/09/20/pba-alaska-withstands-kiefers-30-points-puts-nlex-on-brink
