Aces down Niños to finish Mayor Michael Rama Cup with unblemished record

The Alaska Aces capped off a successful southern sojourn as they claimed the championship in the Mayor Michael Rama Cup after defeating the M. Lhuillier Kwarta Padala-Cebu Niños, 76-65, yesterday at the Cebu Coliseum.

The win gave the Aces a perfect 3-0 (win-loss) record to capture the championship and head to the start of the 2012 Philippine Cup with momentum on their side.

They also defeated the San Mig Coffee Mixers, 84-77, in their game late Saturday night with JV Casio firing 18 points to lead the Aces in scoring for the second straight game.

Yesterday, Alaska turned the game around in the second quarter, where it unleashed a sizzling 20-2 run that erected a 37-25 lead at halftime.

RJ Jazul and Nino Gelig hit three pointers in that run while Nic Belasco and Tony dela Cruz lorded down low to put the Aces in front.

The Niños tried to make a game out of it in the third period, which Mark Magsumbol would start by making seven straight points to trim the deficit down to five, 32-37.

But the Aces retaliated with a 12-2 run of their own capped off by jumpers by Eddie Laure and Raffy Reyes that gave them a 49-34 lead.

The Niños kept within reach and sliced Alaska’s lead to just four, 58-62, after a three-point bomb by Stephen Padilla.

However, Alaska proved to be too tough to break as it seized control of the game with a 10-1 that saw Belasco hit an undergoal stab and Cyrus Baguio slicing down the lane for a spectacular layin.

Later, Casio hit a floater, Dela Cruz made his patented jumper from the corner and local hero Dondon Hontiveros finished things off with a lay-up off a nice cut along the baseline for a 72-59 lead.

Dela Cruz led the way for Alaska with 13 points while Baguio added 10 points.