Like a professional wrestling heel, Alaska rookie forward Calvin Abueva has drawn boos from opposing fans of popular teams, especially in the Commissioner’s Cup playoffs.

But while supporters of San Mig Coffee and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel have painted Abueva as a villain, he is nothing short of a hero for the energized group of Alaska fans.

According to coach Luigi Trillo, Abueva has energized the team’s fan base.

Veteran Alaska guard Dondon Hontiveros had been getting chippy with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel center Billy Mamaril during Game Two of the Commissioner’s Cup finals Friday night.

So when Hontiveros drew a charging foul on Mamaril early in the fourth quarter, he couldn’t help but clap in the face of the Gin Kings big man, earning him a reprimand from people on the Ginebra bench for his taunting.

Later, Mamaril was seen exchanging heated words with Hontiveros from the Ginebra bench.

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

The Alaska Aces stuck to the same tactics they used to win the Commissioner’s Cup finals opener against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and were rewarded with another victory in Friday’s Game Two at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

With a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series, Alaska moved one win away from winning the 14th PBA championship in franchise history.

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel whittled down a 24-point lead to 10 late in the fourth quarter, before buckets from Rob Dozier and Sonny Thoss secured a 104-90 win for the Alaska Aces, in game two of their best-of-five PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals series, Friday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

Alaska had taken game one in a rout, before settling for a final score of 87-70, Wednesday.

Aces center Sonny Thoss was the best player of the game with 16 points and eight rebounds.

Cebuana Lhuillier has been a familiar name to Filipino basketball fans, and the company recently stepped up its profile by partnering with the PBA for the Commissoner’s Cup playoffs and finals.

Chief executive officer Jean Henri Lhuillier told InterAKTV that the company is mulling a long-term partnership with the league. He said that Cebuana is already thinking about becoming the title sponsor anew for the season-ending Governors’ Cup.

Despite Cebuana’s interest in the league., Lhuillier putting together a team to join the PBA.

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are looking to bring back Arizona Reid for their title-retention bid in the season-ending Governors’ Cup.

Team owner Raymond Yu said that Reid, who suited up for Rain or Shine two season ago, is on top of the Elasto Painters’ list following the incident involving former import Jamelle Cornley, who led the squad to the championship last season.

Cornley was arrested in Quezon City after allegedly punching a policeman who tried to pacify him during an outburst at a local hotel.

MANILA, Philippines – If there was one man, who knew what was coming in Game 1, it should be Brgy. Ginebra’s playmaker LA Tenorio.

Tenorio played for the Alaska Aces for six years before he was traded to Ginebra at the start of the season. The peppery playmaker, who is in a tight battle with Alaska rookie Calvin Abueva for this conference’s Best Player award, continued to struggle against his former team in Game 1.

Tenorio managed to lead Ginebra’s locals with 14 points but shot a woeful 4-of-18 from the field. He also had an uncharacteristic six turnovers and issued only two assists no thanks to Alaska’s grit-and-grind defense. Against the Aces this conference, Tenorio is shooting an abysmal 26 percent from the field.