PBA PhilCup QF Preview: Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. Alaska Aces

The Aces dropped three straight crucial games towards the end of eliminations to put themselves at the edge of the cliff. But they salvaged their already underwhelming season with two knockout games to clinch the last seed of the quarterfinals and the right to face the best team in the league.

Coach Luigi Trillo’s team failed to build on their impressive campaign in last year’s Philippine Cup where they were a tough road block for the eventual champions. You can point to the better-than-ever athleticism and size across the league as one of the biggest reasons why Alaska struggled. But internally, the core and the help coming from the bench hasn’t been as solid and mutually dynamic as last year.

The biggest drop off has come from Calvin Abueva. From averaging 15pgg, 11rpg, a few assists, rebounds and blocks in last year’s Philippine Cup, The Not So Beast Anymore is only averaging 10 points and 8 boards on a miserable 28% shooting clip. More than the numbers though, teams just know what to expect from Calvin this year, when last year everyone was caught off guard with the energy and attitude he brings to Alaska. Aside from Abueva, Alaska’s core support hasn’t been as solid. Tony Dela Cruz and Dondon Hontivers, players who won games for them last season, have been missing links. And although JVee Casio’s overall numbers have upped a bit from last year, he failed to take the leap to being a lock-in to The Best PG’s in the Country conversation. Really, for a court general that’s on a career curve like Casio’s, you’d expect him to drop at least 15 points and 6 dimes a night.

Yes, there are a few bright spots on this team (Sonny Thoss and Gabby Espinas).

But overall, the card they chose to play (continuity) when they refused to improve the team via trades, is in danger of losing big on the river when they face the most dominant team in the league.

That team is Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, a team that was a fringe contender over the last few years. Their team now is built on lopsided and smart trades over the last two years. Tenorio, Aguilar, Slaughter, Baracael, Monfort, Urbiztondo, and Ababou were all acquired through barters.

The major difference of this roster to other strong Ginebra lineups (in the recent past that were barely contenders) is that it’s now complete and that the pieces fit like a puzzle. The roles are clear and the unrevealed pecking order seems to be undisturbed. Mark Caguioa is still the alpha male. Despite taking a lesser role this season, everybody knows that the team is still his. Tenorio is the unquestioned leader, the pilot that plays with all the controls of this high-powered Apache helicopter. Japeth Aguilar is the best player of the team and might even be of the league. Greg Slaughter is the prized rookie who has surprised everyone with his production and learning curve. And then you have all types of team roles that are played to the hilt. Defensive stoppers, energy guys, bench scorers, shooters — you name it, they have it.

All that, and a great dose of chemistry has formed the best team in the league that has the simplest but one of the most effective attacks on offense (the pick-and-roll) and the right commitment on defense. And of course, their size, length, and athleticism doesn’t hurt either.

LA Tenorio (10.9 ppg, 5.1 rpg, 7.3 apg, 1.5 spg)  vs. JVee Casio (14.9 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 4.0 apg)

Tenorio doesn’t have to outdo Casio for Ginebra to win this series. He just has to play the same type of relaxed, easy-pickings, type of basketball he has played all conference long. JVee Casio is the one who has to come up really big for his team to have a puncher’s chance in this series. Alaska’s best player, Sonny Thoss, is expected to have a tough time against the size, length, and depth (remember Jay-R Reyes has been playing efficient ball of the bench) of Ginebra’s frontcourt. Casio needs to find a way to compensate for that and then outdo Tenorio at the same time. For Alaska to have a chance in this one, Casio might have to be the best player on the court.

Calvin Abueva

Sneaky elbows, silly smack talk, a double-double, whatever it is to somehow get Tenorio or Aguilar out of their games. Abueva has to provide the unlimited gulpe de gulat energy and efficiency he did last year. He can’t be producing 10 points and 8 boards on crazy-low percentages. He has to revert back to The Beast that he was.

Ginebra. 1 game.

Alaska is just outmatched at so many positions. Alaska’s main ace all conference, the focal point of the Triangle O, Sonny Thoss, should have big trouble against Slaughter. Plus no one on the Aces’ roster — maybe in the league — can guard Japeth. And when you compare the consistent core support coming from Ginebra’s shocktroopers to Alaska’s, it’s just night and day.

Ginebra, literally, is too tall an order.

 

Photos by Pranz Kaeno Billones and Paolo Papa of InterAksyon.com/InterAKTV