PBA Commish Cup semis: Aces score 1st win over Cone

Dozier's making Bowles look old

After nine failed attempts over the course of a season and a half, Luigi Trillo and the Alaska Aces were finally able to beat former coach Tim Cone and the San Mig Coffee Mixers with a convincing 86-67 victory at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Just when it seemed that beating the Mixers was a gargantuan task that the Aces would never be able to accomplish, the Red and Black came out with a different mindset and game plan altogether: attack the rim. In Game 1, the Aces appeared to be at ease with trading jumpshots with the Mixers as they were playing exceptional defense on each other. Tonight, despite another strong effort on the defensive end by the Mixers early in the first, the Aces were just relentless.

Import Rob Dozier was taking it to the rim, abandoning his patented 15-18 ft jump shots. JVee Casio was making plays and putting up shots, mixing it up to keep the Mixers' defense guessing and unable to trap any one of his teammates (including himself). Sonny Thoss, Calvin Abueva, Cyrus Baguio all pitched in and also did most of their damage within the three point arc which caused the Mixers' frontline to over extend themselves and fall into early foul trouble (Denzel Bowles and Marc Pingris had 3 fouls each in the 1st half alone).

What they couldn't convert on in Game 1, the Aces were sure not to take the same shots in this evening's game. Defensively, they put in a solid rotation of guys to keep Bowles at bay-- from Thoss, Gabby Espinas, Abueva even to veteran Nic Belasco (who looks a bit on the puffy side). They were all there to ensure that Bowles wasn't going to simply drop silky smooth clutch jumpers here and there. They bodied him up, forcing him to drive to the hoop where a second Aces defender (usually Dozier) was just waiting to pounce on the reigning PBA Commissioner's Cup Best Import.

Also, Baguio was a lot more aggressive tonight then he was in Game 1. Though he only managed to finish with 8 points, his one-on-one forays broke down the Mixers' defense and made the Aces attack look unpredictable. The spacing was perfect, enough for Baguio to create, with Casio and Dondon Hontiveros at his side ready to get the kickout pass for the open three.

But above all, the Mixers just weren't mentally prepared to face a more physical Aces. We all knew that the Aces would scratch and claw their way to a Game 2 win. We've been harping about it for days now. This team now finally understands that they can "hang" with Coach Cone's new love buddies. Their defense allows them to do so. Now it's on the offensive end where they're starting to click and with all the injury concerns that the Mixers are currently faced with, our prediction is looking quite steady at the moment...

... only to be reminded that the league is taking a long break to make way for the PBA All Star Game to be held at Digos City down South. The long break will allow the Mixers (and even Ginebra) to rest and recuperate specially the ones that have been hit hardest-- Yap, Bowles, Pingris and PJ Simon. You could argue that the Aces will also get a lot from the long break, but being a young team, they're more in danger of getting rusty as compared to the veterans who make the most of the "holidays" to rest their bodies while keeping their mental edge.

Our prediction for Game 3? Bodies will hit the floor, blood will be shed with Yancy de Ocampo figuring in a near-altercation (or a friendly scuffle). No way the Mixers will allow themselves to be bullied in the paint for two straight games. Bet on it.