Mike Harris dished out an effort worthy of a Best Import award, and Alaska Milk made it two in a row to equalize with Magnolia Pambansang Manok in the PBA Governors Cup Finals with a 90-76 win in an extra-rugged duel at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.
After winning the Best Import plum shortly before Game Four, Harris delivered a statement in the form of a 34-point and 22-rebound showing, and the Aces went on to score a follow-up on their 100-71 victory in the previous game.
But inasmuch as he was happy with the victory, Alaska coach Alex Compton lamented the Hotshots for being dirty.
"Somebody punched Mike in the testicles and somebody hit Chris Banchero on the male part. Those are literally low blows and I'm not happy one bit," said Compton.
"At what point will the refs make the calls. I hope it would in the next game, and we could start playing basketball," Compton added.
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Compton praised his boys for remaining cool and calm, and lauded them for the lockdown defense that he thought was the big key in their victory.
"I thought our defense was great and we moved the ball better," Compton said.
Harris was every inch the Best Import that he is on the night he shared the spotlight with Best Player of the Conference winner Paul Lee.
The Alaska reinforcement shared the honors to his teammates.
"MVP to me is 'Most Valuable People.' It won't happen without the other guys. I can't do it by myself. It's a testament to my teammates," said Harris, adding winning the game was what mattered the most for him.
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The Aces pulled off the equalizer on a key breakaway in the second quarter then their sustaining effort through the final half.
It was actually a close match until the Aces pulled away in the second half after Romeo Travis had to be treated for a cut sustained on a wayward elbow by Harris.
The Aces took the third quarter at 63-50 then led by as many as 17 at 71-54 before eventually wrapping up the game.
Alaska was meanest on defense in the second quarter, holding
Magnolia to four field-goal conversions for a mere 10 points total.
The Aces smothered in the second period, 23-10, after trailing by three, 19-22, in the opening quarter.
The first half belonged to Alaska, 42-32, as the Aces hit at a 41.5-percent clip as against the 32.4 percent that they yielded to the Hotshots.
Travis came through with 18 markers but the rest of the Magnolia team bled for only 14 in the first 24 minutes of play. (SB)
