The Final Score: PBA Finals all about Crashes and Comebacks

Nothing stirs the senses like a 4th quarter comeback. Nothing deflates the spirit like an end-game collapse. What this PBA Finals telenovela might lack in longevity (since Purefoods is now up, 3-0), it makes up for with drama. Unfortunately for the Aces, they’re the ones always in tears at the end of each chapter. For the second straight game, Alaska’s key players wilted under pressure while Purefoods’ unexpected gunners thrived under duress.

I thought Willie Miller was all-set to bring Alaska back in this series. He had 12 points on 6/11 shooting by halftime. More importantly, he had fire in his eyes and that distinct “taray on his kilay" as if to say, “Okay no more Mr. Smiley." While basketball is a team game, only one player can hold that ball and make a shot on each possession. For Alaska, Miller should touch the ball and take the shot during possessions that matter the most. In sequences straight out of a coach’s nightmare, however, Miller had the ball in crucial moments of Game 3 and lost it. Miller, then, took the last shot of the game, a shot that could’ve changed Alaska’s fate in the series, and missed it. Purefoods, on the other hand, enjoyed a boost from unforeseen sources. Peter June Simon and KG Canaleta were the surprise guests in Game 3. What a time for Simon to register his first double-digit game in over two months. What a time for Canaleta to hit big-time three pointers and display his old slam-dunking form. Ryan Gregorio, when I asked about the fatigue factor during their practice after Game 1, expressed concern over his tight player rotation. I told him I knew he would use unexpected players to deliver startling results at some point. Gregorio flashed a naughty smile. Not even a referee’s lame call (thank god there was none) at the end of Game 3 could’ve overshadowed the painful truth. Alaska needs to protect leads in the PBA Finals the way Ryan Miller protects the net for Team USA in Olympic Ice Hockey. For the second straight game, a lead felt more like a burden than a blessing for the Aces. Once the Aces had control of the game, I was waiting to see Alaska show some killers’ instinct. Harassed by Purefoods’ relentless, physical defense, Alaska opted to enter survival mode instead. Even when Canaleta left the door unlocked by taking a hurried, ill-advised three-pointer with less than 30 seconds to go, the Aces refrained from barging through the door. If it’s any consolation, Alaska is part of one of the most eventful 3-0 duels I can remember. Normally, a 3-0 series features lopsided games and frigid match-ups. This best-of-7 affair, however, could’ve easily been a 3-0 lead for the Aces. It’s been that close. Yet close hasn’t been enough for the Aces. They’ll try to rewrite the script, and PBA history for that matter, on Wednesday. Otherwise, Purefoods targets an unpredicted sweep in a conference filled with unpredictable outcomes. - GMANews.TV