The Alaska Aces bounced back from an opening-day loss with a convincing 104-84 win over the Barako Bull Energy last night in the 37th PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Jason Forte fired a game-high 29 points and got ample support from the local with LA Tenorio, Gabby Espinas and Cyrus Baguio chipping in double figures.
Tenorio tallied 21 points, six rebounds and six assists, Espinas had his best game in an Alaska uniform with 18 markers, while Baguio had 14 for the Aces, who broke into the win column after starting the tournament with a 100-107 loss to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
With five players scoring double figures, Luigi Trillo finally got his win as a PBA head coach. Trillo assumed post as the Aces’ head coach following the resignation of Joel Banal.
Alaska set the tempo of the match with a 11-0 run to start the match.
Barako Bull didn’t make its first points until Don Allado hit a mid-range jumper in the 5:38 of the opening frame.
Alaska took a 20-12 lead into the second, where Barako Bull finally went to work. The Energy moved ahead, 33-32, on a free throw by Willie Miller off a technical foul by Espinas, who figured in several verbal tussle and physical plays with import Jamine Peterson.
Alaska was quick to retake the lead when it responded with a 10-3 blast to close the first half on top, 42-36.
The Aces dominated the third, where it started to build sizable leads, including a 76-63 edge heading into the final frame.
Alaska’s lead increased to as many as 20 points in the fourth as several miscues and poor shooting from the field denied the Energy from staging any comeback.
Peterson scored 19 points, Danny Seigle and Miller had 15 and 14 for the Energy, who faltered after winning their first game against the Powerade Tigers, 106-101.