Aces, Hotdogs duel for crown

It’s the final reckoning and, in the end, the late-summer classic could have Purefoods slaying the ghost of its woeful past or Alaska Milk again weaving a magical tale reliving the good old days.

The Hotdogs and the Aces hit the end of the road today, slugging it out in a mother of all battles to decide their duel for the Samsung PBA Governors Cup championship.

Game time is at 5:30 p.m. at the Araneta Coliseum with both clubs expected to put up a brave front though each is hurting with injuries to key players.

Purefoods’ Alvin Patrimonio, Ronnie Magsanoc and Richard Yee are bruised and battered and so are Alaska’s Ron Riley and Don Allado but all of them are willing to take more punishment, willing to go out on the floor for one more time to become part of history.

Alaska coach Tim Cone thinks the momentum is on their side but it is a very, very slight edge in the dream match which could go down-the-wire.

Cone said the team which will come out stronger and have the energy till the end will emerge victorious. Purefoods coach Ryan Gregorio, meanwhile, believes "the team that wants it (the championship) more gets it."

There’s no question that the Aces enjoy an upbeat mood following their 85-78 win Thursday that sent the best-of-seven series to the distance.

But 48 hours after the humbling Game Six defeat and the Hotdogs seemed to be as zestful and zealous as the Aces.

"We’re still positive about our chances to win. We knew we didn’t play well in Game Six because we were already thinking of a victory celebration," said Gregorio. "We just have to pick up our game again. And if we have to buck the odds and fight a tough game, we’ll do it."

The young acting Purefoods mentor is well aware of the team’s awful history in a Game Seven but hardly talked about it in his pow-wow with his players after practice yesterday, telling The STAR he didn’t want his team to imbibe anything negative.

"And I believe there’s always a first time," said Gregorio, hinting at a first-ever championship by Purefoods via a Game Seven victory today.

The Hotdogs have been to three previous Game Sevens — all ending negative for the team.

If the Hotdogs survive the jinx, the team captures its sixth championship in franchise history and its first since the 1997 All-Filipino. Gregorio, meanwhile, gains a personal record of, at 30, becoming the third youngest coach to win a PBA championship — next to Tommy Manotoc and Chot Reyes who won their first championship both at 29.

A failure by Purefoods will signal the return of Alaska to the throne for the first time since the 2000 All-Filipino.

A peek at history will suggest the Aces are comfortable where they are at the moment. Alaska has played four Game Sevens, winning the last three of those.

Coach Cone and his team are eyeing an 11th title which will move it two shy of the league second best record owned by Crispa.

The league’s winningest team is San Miguel with 16 to its credit.