The Alaska Aces is scheduled for a head-to-head game against the Blackwater Elite at 4:30 P.M. on July 14, 2019 live from the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The Aces are looking to strengthen their playoffs chances by logging a victory while the Elite will continue to prove that their current second conference success is not a fluke when the 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Cup resumes this afternoon at the Big Dome.
The current win-loss record of Blackwater could be much better only if Alex Stepheson was healthy or was able to return after he became healthy this conference.
There were two games that squad of coach Aris Dimaunahan played without an import and it resulted to defeats and with Staphon Blair, they’re now 1-1.
Blair is definitely on his adjusting period on those two outings but that might be enough as he already has seen how PBA and how other foreign hires play in this tournament.
The former University of Central Florida’s standout performance is currently on the rise. In his PBA debut he logged 14 points and 14 rebounds then he followed it up with another double-double output versus the TNT KaTropa with 16 markers and 16 boards.
For Alaska on the other hand, they wanted to avoid the complicated process if there are multiple teams tie at the number eighth spot, the last ticket going to the playoffs.
“It’s a must-win for us, no way around that,” said Alaska head coach Alex Compton.
The veteran chief bench tactician already made his assessment on how good Blackwater is playing this second conference compared to how they finished in the All-Filipino tourney.
“They are a tremendously talented team and coach Aris has done a great job. Bobby Ray Parks Jr. is playing like a top vet while the rest of their players have fit seamlessly with him. It will be a tremendous challenge for us to stop them, but we have to,” said Compton.