* Pictures by gmtan

Purefoods TJ Giants made a rare sweep of the PBA Finals against Alaska Aces 86-76, winning the Philippine Cup Finals and once again All-Filipino champions for the fifth time for Purefoods and Second for Coach Ryan Gregorio. Purefoods winning 7 straight games including 3 straight in the semifinals against San Miguel and played in 30 games overall in this conference.

Purefoods led most of the game but Alaska came back at the end of the 1st half to tie the game. Rookie Rico Maierhofer who scored 12 points waxed hot in the third quarter to extend the lead of Purefoods 65-58 to end the 3rd quarter. Finals MVP James Yap led Purefoods with 18 pts and 3 asts and Roger Yap contributed 16pts, 9rebs and 6asts and both made big shots in the 4th quarter to stop the run by Alaska led by Willie Miller.

James Yap was named Best Player of the Conference before the start of Game 4, breaking the jinx of the last 4 Best Players of the Conference where the day they were announced winners of the award they lost that game. In getting his finals MVP award, James Yap thanked his no. 1 fan, former President Cory Aquino who passed away last year.

Congratulations to the Purefoods Tender Juicy Giants!

Game Scores:

Purefoods - Yap J 18, Yap R 16, Raymundo 13, Maierhofer 12, Pingris 9, Simon 5, Reavis 5, Canaleta 3, Artadi 3, Salvador 2, Allado 0.

Alaska - Thoss 19, Miller 17, Tenorio 11, Hugnatan 9, Cariaso 5, Devance 4, Fonacier 4, Dela Cruz 4, Ferriols 2, Cablay 1, Borboran 0.

Poll Results
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James Yap - Best Player of the Conference

Philippine Basketball Association
KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Awards

Purefoods Guard James Yap was named Best Player of the Conference defeating Willie Miller of the Alaska Aces.

Result of our Poll:
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Purefoods TJ Giants will try to sweep the Alaska Aces tonight in Game 4 of their best-of-seven finals series. No team has ever swept an All-Filipino Finals in the history of the PBA, but Purefoods is just one win away in getting its 5th All-Filipino title and Coach Ryan Gregorio if they win will be the only coach for Purefoods to win 2 All-Filipino titles. (Other Purefoods coaches with All-Filipino titles: Ely Capacio-1991, Chot Reyes-1993, Eric Altamirano-1997). Before the game, the Best Player of the Conference will be awarded, it will be a close fight between Willie Miller and James Yap.

Defense will be key again for Purefoods specially in the crucial minutes of the ballgame where Purefoods dominated Alaska in the last 3 games. Purefoods bench must step up again: Peter June Simon, Nino Canaleta, Don Allado and Rico Maierhofer must provide quality minutes while the starters are resting. Key players for this game will be Marc Pingris and Rafi Reavis, which should control the boards and keep their intensity both in offense and defense.

Note:
The other finals in PBA history that resulted in a sweep was in 1985 between North Consolidated Cement RP Team of Ron Jacobs beating Manila Beer and in 1992 with Import Tony Harris leading Swift Mighty Meaties against Seven-Up.

Another Note:
Based from our research from around the world, no professional sports team won a sweep during the semifinals only to get swept in the finals.

James Yap and Willie Miller will battle each other not just in Game 4 but for the title of “Best Player of the Conference” in the current KFC-PBA Philippine Cup, which will be announced in Game 4 tomorrow between Purefoods TJ Giants and Alaska Aces.

Other players in the top 6 in Statistical points are Kelly Williams (Sta Lucia Realtors), Arwind Santos (San Miguel Beermen), Mark Cardona (Tropang Texters) and another Aces player Joe Devance.

Purefoods TJ Giants bench helped came back from a big deficit the whole game to win its third straight game vs Alaska Aces 79-78. Nino Canaleta led the comeback with a 3 pointer and a Big Dunk scoring 8 points on 2 out of 3 from 3-point range and also with the help of Rico Maierhofer (7pts) and Peter June Simon (12pts). James Yap had a bad shooting night going 0-6 from 3 but still scored 14 pts and contributed 4 rebs and 3 asts and Kerby Raymundo (8pts) gave Purefoods a 79-77 lead after a layup with a minute left in the 4th quarter. Willie Miller gets fouled on the next play but makes only 1 free throw to trim the lead, 79-78.

With Purefoods leading by 1 with 3.9 seconds remaining, Alaska had the chance to win the game but Willie Miller misses and time runs out for Alaska and they now have to win 4 straight wins in this Finals because they are now down 3-0 in this series.

This is the first time Purefoods outrebounded Alaska 47-46 with Purefoods having 18 offensive rebounds, 5 each from Rafi Reavis and Marc Pingris. Don Allado made a buzzer beater 3 point shot to end the 1st quarter 21-15 with Alaska leading right from the start.

Game 4 will be on Wednesday, and Purefoods will try to end the series and win an All-Filipino title again.

Game Scores:

Purefoods 79 – Yap J 14, Simon 12, Canaleta 8, Pingris 8, Reavis 8, Raymundo 8, Maierhofer 7, Yap R 5, Allado 5, Salvador 3, Artadi 1.

Alaska 78 – Miller 20, Devance 16, Thoss 12, Dela Cruz 10, Tenorio 8, Hugnatan 6, Ferriols 4, Borboran 2, Fonacier 0.

Alaska Aces will not protest the controversial call at the end game last night. With 5.6 sec remaining in the game a foul was called on Joe Devance, which from all angles and at a crucial point in the game should have been a let go and the game should have gone to overtime. And the way Purefoods was playing in the last 6 minutes, I have no doubt Purefoods would still win the game in OT.

From Alaska Governor Joaqui Trillo:
“I really think that wasn’t a foul at a crucial point in the game, I think Purefoods would’ve wanted to earn the win. I think the win was given on a silver platter. We don’t want to complain. We don’t want to protest. We’ll take what’s given to us. I just feel bad because the guys played very well.”

James Yap leads Purefoods TJ Giants with a come from behind win over Alaska Aces 86-85 with 32 points to give Purefoods a 2-0 lead in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. Yap was 4 out of 6 from 3-point range and 8 of 9 from the free throw line. Alaska led 78-64 in the middle of the 4th quarter but James Yap made 2 3 pointers and 2 straight baskets by Rookie Rico Maierhofer trimmed down Alaska’s lead 80-76.

With 5.6 seconds remaining in the game and the score tied at 85 all, Kerby Raymundo takes a shot but misses and a late and controversial foul was called on Joe Devance, Kerby makes the first free throw but misses the second and time runs out for Alaska.

Purefoods led in the 1st half 48-39 with their great defense but Alaska came back in the 3rd and 4th quarter led by LA Tenorio with 19 points. Alaska outrebounded Purefoods again 40-34, but Alaska had 23 turnovers compared to only 13 by Purefoods.

Game 3 will be at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, February 28 at 6pm.

Game Scores:

Purefoods 86 – Yap J 32, Reavis 17, Raymundo 14, Allado 5, Maierhofer 4, Canaleta 4, Artadi 4, Pingris 3, Yap R 3, Simon 0, Adducul 0.

Alaska 85 – Tenorio 19, De Vance 12, Miller 12, Dela Cruz 9, Thoss 8, Ferriols 8, Cablay 8, Hugnatan 6, Borboran 3, Fonacier 0, Cariaso 0.