Dozier relives Finals dream

MANILA, Philippines - For Alaska import Robert Dozier, playing in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals is like reliving a dream as it comes five years after the 6-9 forward saw action for the University of Memphis in the NCAA championship game against University of Kansas in San Antonio.

Dozier, 27, delivered 11 points, 10 rebounds, three assists, a blocked shot and a steal in 39 quality minutes but Memphis lost a 75-68 overtime decision to Kansas in a painful setback for the 2007-08 title. Memphis led by nine with 2:12 left in regulation then Dozier’s celebrated teammate Derrick Rose missed a free throw with 10.8 seconds to go and Kansas’ Mario Chalmers knocked down a miracle triple, time down to 2.1 ticks, to send it into a five-minute extension. Rose is now with Chicago and Chalmers with Miami in the NBA while Dozier is leading the Aces charge in the Commissioner’s Cup Finals starting Wednesday.

“I don’t really know what to expect in the Finals but it’s a great feeling,” said Dozier in the dugout shortly after Alaska ousted San Mig Coffee, 83-78, in Game 4 of their best-of-five semifinal series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Saturday. “It’s not the same as playing in the NCAA Finals which is a just a one-game thing. Back then, I was a role player with Memphis. Now, I’m the import with Alaska and I’m supposed to do a lot more. I’m here to win a championship for Alaska and I’m excited to get it done.”

Dozier was far from his top offensive form last Saturday, finishing with only six points on 2-of-11 field goals in 46 minutes but sank a dagger trey down the stretch to make it a two-possession lead, 80-76, with 2:02 remaining. There was a second left on Alaska’s shot clock when Dozier buried the triple. He sank a layup in transition with a minute to go as the Aces held off the Mixers.

“I looked up at the clock to check how much time was left but didn’t see it,” said Dozier, recounting the details that led to his crucial three. “The guys were yelling for me to shoot it so I did. I honestly didn’t know there was like just a second to go on our shot clock.” It was Dozier’s first field goal conversion of the night. “I struggled offensively,” he continued. “They did a good job of stopping our pick-and-roll. I looked out for my teammates and they came through. San Mig’s a tough team. We play a similar style. We both like to execute in the halfcourt. But we can also run the floor like we used to at Memphis with coach (John) Calipari. We run a lot of motion.”

Alaska coach Luigi Trillo, only in his third conference at the helm, said even as Dozier bled for his points, he made up for it by grabbing 14 rebounds, blocking three shots, issuing three assists and protecting the rim. “In Game 1, Rob was complaining that he was being held and it affected him,” said Trillo. “I told him the refs aren’t going to call that too much because it’s the playoffs. He didn’t sprint back down on defense and that’s how we lost Game 1. But he adjusted as the series went on and things worked out.”

Dozier shrugged off the physicality that he experienced in the San Mig series. “Yeah, there was a lot of holding and pushing,” he said. “I thought they overdid it in Game 4. But I just had to play through it.”

Trillo said in Game 4, the Mixers were a step slow on the court adjusting to James Yap’s absence. Yap played 33 minutes in Game 3 before San Mig coach Tim Cone decided to shut him down for the series because of unbearable pain in his lower back. Cone gave Yap “immense credit” for his attitude.

“James has shown great character trying to battle through this,” said Cone. “I’m really proud of him. He played with pain so at what point does he or we say enough is enough. He felt bad he couldn’t contribute the way he knows he can if healthy. James did everything, including late night and early morning therapy and alternative medicine. A lesser player would’ve backed off long ago.”

In the Commissioner’s Cup Finals, Dozier will be counted on for his playoff experience. At Memphis, he went to the NCAA Tournament every year of his varsity career with the Tigers advancing to the Finals once, Elite Eight twice and Sweet 16 once. In the PBA, he’s averaging 20.4 points, 17.1 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 2.7 blocked shots. Dozier is hitting .524 from the floor, .333 from three-point distance and .620 from the line.

“Success is far from being achieved,” said Alaska president and chief executive officer Wilfred Uytengsu in a text message to The STAR. “Still a ways to go but we are pointing in the right direction. It’s been tough but if it was easy, everyone would be a champion. You have to earn it. It’s special to be back in the Finals and our 26th at that. I told the team how proud I was of them digging deep and coming from a 14-point deficit against a talented and well-coached team (in Game 4 of the San Mig series). It just showed we wanted it more. But getting to the Finals is just part of the journey. Our goal is to win. Time for us to BEL14VE again.” Uytengsu spelled it “BEL14VE” to indicate Alaska’s chase for a 14th overall PBA championship and its first in the post-Cone era.