Games on Friday (Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. — B-Meg Derby Ace vs. Talk 'n Text (Battle for Third)
7:30 p.m. — San Miguel vs. Alaska (Game 1 Finals)

Alaska downed top seed Talk 'n Text in Game 7 of their semifinal showdown, 90-81, on Wednesday night to claim the last championship berth in the PBA Fiesta Cup at the packed Araneta Coliseum.

Import Diamon Simpson led the Aces' balanced attack with 21 points, including seven in the final quarter, along with nine rebounds six assists, two steals, and three shot blocks in 46 minutes, numbers that soliified his bid for the Best Import award.

Alaska nearly blew an 18-point lead (59-41) in the third period when Talk 'n Text unleashed a 19-4 blast that trimmed the deficit to 60-63 entering the final frame.

The Tropang Texters got within three points anew, 65-68, on Ryan Reyes' three-point play with 10:07 remaining in the game, but Larry Fonacier's three-pointer sparked a 9-0 run by the Aces that gave them a 77-65 advantage with 5:16 to play.

Alaska Milk will face defending champion San Miguel Beer in a best-of-seven championship showdon beginnin this Friday at the Big Dome.

This will be the sixth time that the two winningest teams in the PBA will collide in the Finals, and first in 10 years or since the Beermen — then mentored by Jong Uichico —  downed the Milkmen (4-2) during the 1999 Governor's Cup.

While SMB will be in its all-time best 31st Finals stint, Alaska is back in the championship for the 25th time (No. 2 in the all-time list).

"It's good to beback in the Finals," said Alaska mentor Tim Cone, who is eyeing his 13th coaching title. "It's really hard to do a Game 7. We gather and come back after losing a big lead. It was really hard for us."

"They (TNT) are a tough team. But give our guys some credit... this was a gret team effort. We're ready to go against San Miguel," Cone added.

Forward Joe Devance contributed 16 points for Alaska, while guard Cyrus Baguio added 14. Three players chipped in 10 points apiece, LA Tenorio (who had seven boards and two assists), Larry Fonacier, and Tony dela Cruz.

Meanwhile, considered as two of the league's premiere power forwards, Talk 'n Text's Ranidel de Ocampo and San Miguel Beer's Jay Washington are in a tight battle for the Best Player of the Conference in the PBA Fiesta Cup.

The 6-foot-5 De Ocampo still leads all six official contenders for the BPC award with an average of 29.6 Statistical Points (SPs) through Game 6 of the import-laden best-of-seven semifinals against Alaska.

De Ocampo, recipient of the first PBA Press Corps' Classification Top Performer award, averages 15.3 points, 6.4 rebounds, and 1.4 assists this conference.

The 6-foot-7 Washington, on the other hand, has 29.4 SPs while averaging 15.8 points, seven rebounds, and 1.9 assists.

The scores:
ALASKA 90 — Simpson 21, Devance 16, Baguio 14, Tenorio 10, Fonacier 10, Dela Cruz 10, Hugnatan 5, Borboran 4.
TALK 'N TEXT 81— Daniels 19, Cardona 16, De Ocampo 15, Reyes 9, Alapag 9, Castro 6, Williams 4, Carey 3, Dillinger 0, Aban 0.
Quarters: 24-12, 47-36, 63-60, 90-81.