Sa katunayan, siniguro nilang humantong sa giyera ang kanilang championship series kontra sa Coca-Cola na magaganap sa deciding Game-Three ng PBA Invitational Championship bukas sa PhilSports Arena.
Sa kauna-unahang pagkakataon sa kumperensiyang ito, maglalaro ang PBA sa PhilSports Arena makaraang mag-kaproblema sa "back door advertising."
"That was our goal. We didn’t want to give up without a fight. We wanted it to be a battle," pahayag ni coach Tim Cone ng Alaska na nagtala ng siyam na sunod na panalo para makarating sa finals bago lumasap ng kabiguan sa Tigers, 91-84 sa Game-One ng Cham-pionship series.
Ito ay sa tulong ng inside game ni Ali Peek, clutch shots ni John Arigo, overtime heroics ni Don Allado, ang pagkabuhay ni Mike Cortez at ang paghataw sa opensa ni Brandon Lee Cablay.
Dahil dito, nalukuban ng Aces ang kanilang nakakadismayang 30-turn-overs sa nakaraang 78-76 overtime win laban sa Tigers sa Game-Two na nagtabla ng best-of-three serye sa 1-1 panalo-talo.
"That we were tight had a lot to do with us being hungry. We wanted it so badly that we came out so tight at the beginning. But we were lucky to have some guys step up from the bench for us and bring us back into the game," ani Cone.
Ngunit ang malaking katanungan ngayon ay kung malulusutan din ng Alaska ang Coca-Cola sa kanilang winner-take-all match.
"If we can bring the same kind of defense as they bring to the court, we have a chance," wika naman ni Cone.
Kung sino ang mas epektibong shooting, ‘yun ang mananalo, ayon naman kay coach Chot Reyes.
"You can’t win if you can’t put the ball through the hoop. We’re professionals. We make tons and tons and tons of money so we should be able to make the open shot," ani Reyes na nadismaya naman sa free-throw shooting ng kanyang tropa.
Ang Coca-Cola ay 12-of-26 lamang mula sa free-throw sa nakaraang laro.
"That’s unacceptable," aniya. "We are always able to put effort on the floor. But sometimes, effort is not enough. You have to be able to shoot the ball. It’s like in golf. You hit a driver to 300 yards and a pitching wedge to 150 yards. But if you can’t put for the dough, it’s nothing."