Alakas Aces poured it on against Barangay Ginebra despite coming off a long layoff, stunning the reigning champions, 89-75, on Friday in the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
The Aces held the Gin Kings to only 25 first-half points, the fourth lowest in franchise history, to to pull away for good on the way to their third win in seven games after not playing for an entire week due to health and safety protocols.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone was visibly upset about the team's lackluster performance that he let assistant Richard Del Rosario call the shots in the second half.
Alaska, now at seventh in the standings, also savored an encouraging start to a grueling weekend that will have the Aces play on Saturday against league-leading TNT and again on Sunday against Terrafirma.
After a rousing comeback from a 19-point deficit on Wednesday against Phoenix, the Gin Kings, still without injured Japeth Aguilar, slipped to ninth place with a 4-6 slate, half a game behind NorthPort (4-5) in the chase for the eighth and final quarterfinal seat.