Not a few fingers would have pointed at RJ Razul had the Alaska Aces lost this one.
Jazul missed a layup that could have given the Aces the win in regulation but the second stringer guard more than made up for the crucial miss by coming alive in the overtime period to lead Alaska to a wild, 89-82 win over the San Mig Coffee Mixers last night in Game 3 of their best-of-five semifinal round of the 38th PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the jam-packed Araneta Coliseum.
Behind Jazul, the Aces dominated the overtime period where it limited the Mixers to just two points to salvage the victory that gave them a crucial 2-1 series lead.
Alaska, which lost the series-opener, needs just one more win to advance to the finals for the first time in the post-Tim Cone era.
Blown out in Game 2, 67-86, San Mig seemed headed for a big bounce back victory when they led by as many as 16 points in the first half and took a fat, 45-32 lead into the final two quarters of play.
The Mixers still had their way early in the third until rookie Calvin Abueva willed the Aces back into the game.
The energetic rookie scored nine straight points in 15-4 run as Alaska started to chip away at the deficit and went into the fourth down by just five points, 54-59.
In the fourth, Alaska turned to Jvee Casio to run the show as the diminutive point guard uncorked 10 straight points in a big rally that saw the Aces forcing only the second deadlock of the game at 70-all with 6:48 left.
Alaska finally stole the lead when Cyrus Baguio completed a fastbreak layup but San Mig tied the contest anew at 75-all with 1:29 left.
Alaska surged ahead again on a basket by Sonny Thoss but Joe De Vance canned a booming triple to hand the lead back to San Mig, 78-77, 54.2 seconds remaining.
Alaska import Robert Dozier threw the ball over in the next play and fouled James Yap seconds later.
Normally a deadshot from the free throw line, Yap could only make one of his two free throws for a 79-77 lead with 21.3 seconds to go.
Already out of timeout, Alaska was forced to inbound the ball at the other end of the court. Casio dribbled the length of the court before flipping a pass to Thoss, who scored underneath while being fouled by Marc Pingris.
Thoss made the bonus free throw and Alaska seemed just 13.2 seconds away from icing the big comeback win after taking an 80-79 edge.
San Mig, however, got a huge break in the next play when Casio was called for a foul while trying to stand his ground over the shooting Bowles.
Time and time again, Bowles saved the Mixers with his late-game heroics but caved in this time as he missed his first free throw before making the next, tying the count at 80-apiece with 4.9 seconds left.
Alaska hurriedly inbounded the ball and Abueva quickly attacked the basket before dropping a pass to a wide-open Jazul, who missed the layup, much to the chagrin of the Alaska bench.
Jazul, however, didn’t let his team down in the overtime, opening the period with a three-point play before burying a triple as the Aces surged to an 86-80 lead.
PJ Simon converted a floater in the 3:31 mark but San Mig wouldn’t score from that point on.
Abueva took the Best Player of the Game honors with 24 points, 10 rebounds, three assists and one block with no turnover.
BOX SCORES
ALASKA (89)- Abueva 24, Baguio 13, Casio 12, Dozier 11, Thoss 11, Jazul 6, Belasco 5, Hontiveros 3, Espinas 2, Dela Cruz 2.
SAN MIG (82)- Bowles 19, Barroca 15, Pingris 15, Mallari 7, Devance 7, Yap 7, Simon 6, Najorda 2, Reavis 2, De Ocampo 2.
