ACES BOW OUT

Alaska just could not bring it's A game in the pivotal Game 3 and absorbed another defeat at the hands of Red Bull, 81-65, to say goodbye in the PBA Fiesta Conference Wednesday night at the Cuneta Astrodome.

It was just the second time the Aces were swept in a best-of-five series, the last time was in 2000 Commissioner's Cup semifinals against the eventual champion San Miguel Beer.

Mike Cortez led Alaska with 18 points, 12 came in the final quarter when he tried to mount a comeback for the Aces.

Jeffrey Cariaso added 13 markers while Odell Bradley had another disappointing game as he was held to just 11 on 5-of-15 shooting from the field although he had 11 rebounds in the game.

Tony dela Cruz had a miserable shooting night as he was held to just 2 points on an awful 1-of-13 shooting from the field.

Alaska, which swept Sta. Lucia Realty in the best-of-three wildcard series, actually started on the right foot as it took a 19-18 lead after the first quarter.

But the Barakos, behind the 11 points of Lordy Tugade, unloaded a 31-13 scoring in the second quarter and pulled away as they held a comfortable 49-32 halftime lead.

Red Bull managed to protect that big lead up to the third period before the Aces, behind the efforts of Cortez, unleashed a last-ditch run.

Trailing 47-65, Cortez anchored an 11-5 run capped by his triple that trimmed the lead to 58-70, 8:20 left in the game.

But Tugade hit a jumper and import James Penny added a slam that somehow dashed the hope of Alaska, 74-58, 7:14 remaining.

Cortez again tried to put his team back as he hit a triple, 61-74 but Tugade canned in another jumper and Enrico Villanueva completed a three-point play to take the game for good, 79-63, a little over two minutes left in the game.

With the loss, Alaska now bowed out of the first conference to finish sixth in the nine-team cast and became the fourth team to take the early vacation after Coca-Cola, San Miguel Beer and Sta. Lucia.

Scores:

Red Bull 81 – Tugade 24, Penny 16, Villanueva 12, Torion 7, Pennisi 6, Bugia 4, Fonacier 3, Baguio 3, Robinson 2, Valenzuela 2, Najorda 0.

Alaska 65 – Cortez 18, Cariaso 10, Bradley 11, Allado 8, Hugnatan 6, Cablay 5, Thoss 2, Dela Cruz 2, Alvarez 0, Padilla 0.

Quarters: 18-19, 49-32, 65-47, 81-65