LAST seven minutes.
That’s when Alaska usually finds itself in trouble, which is something the team needs to address if the Aces hope to snap out of a two-game skid in the 2021 PBA Governors Cup.
Coach Jeff Cariaso noted the pattern in the Aces’ last two outings against Barangay Ginebra and TNT Tropang Giga, where they led for the most part of the game only to falter in the final seven minutes.
“We’re losing the games in the last seven minutes,” said Cariaso. “Even if you go back to the games we’ve won, teams are outscoring us in the last seven minutes. So we have to be better down the stretch.”
'They have to learn that'
The Alaska coach said the Aces’ starters need to do a better of closing games, especially in tightly-fought contests like their 80-77 loss to the Kings, and 81-77 setback against the Tropang Giga on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“It’s really our starters, our bets who are given this bigger responsibility to be able to be more solid down the stretch,” Cariaso stressed. “That’s their new role. They have to learn that. Right now we’re not doing well in that aspect.”
But overall, the Alaska coach said the Aces’ support cast should be able to hold their own as well when their numbers are called down the stretch.
“Collectively we have to be better in the fourth quarter lalo na sa endgame,” added Cariaso.
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