One of Alaska’s aces, the sparkling Diamon Simpson shown here battling, from left, San Miguel’s Jay Washington, Arwind Santos, and Gabe Freeman. (Photo by MICHAEL VARCAS)

The San Miguel Beermen stand tottering before a dark abyss that is a 0-3 hole in the PBA Fiesta Cup Finals, and they look ready to pitch over even without the Alaska Aces shoving them in.

No ballclub has ever come back from such a deficit to win the championship, a historical fact that ought to be branded into the minds of the Beermen if they are to avert not only falling into the pit but also coming within another loss of getting swept under the rug like dirt.

Definitely not the way to go for a defending champion.

Games 1 and 2 of the best-of-seven championship series were anything but title inspiring for San Miguel.

Supposed to be more rested, full-tanked, and packed with heavier artillery, the Beermen were instead run ragged by the disciplined offense of the Aces, cutting down the zone when the defense stood around and shredding the man-to-man when San Miguel tried to keep up.

Diamon Simpson, the man denied the Best Import award by a glitch in the PBA’s voting process, remains the Rock of Gibraltar for the Aces, tearing down San Miguel for 28 points and 21 rebounds in an 89-83 victory last Friday, and lowering the boom two nights later with 29 points and 17 rebounds before fouling out in the waning seconds of a 94-90 win.

Solving the riddle of Simpson – to double him from which side of the court – will be SMB coach Siot Tanquingcen’s main concern going to Game 3 Wednesday.

To play a straight-up zone, the way they did at the start of Game 2, would again give a spot-up shooter like Joe Devance all the time and space he needs to bury the three.

And to risk leaving a man open in order to put a second defender on Simpson would require exhaustive study on who among the Aces – surely not LA Tenorio or Larry Fonacier or Devance – represent less clear and present danger.

The Beeremen have not gotten physical enough in the series, say, the way Barangay Ginebra or B-Meg Derby Ace would have had against an organized opponent like Alaska just to upset its rhythm.

Mick Pennisi played 15 minutes in Game 2 and gave up three fouls, two of them with awards – that’s too few. Putting Pennisi on Simpson early and finding out what happens if the 6-9 forward is given the green light to bang up the amiable Alaska import a little could energize the Beermen.

Gabe Freeman was a big question in Game 2, picking up three quick fouls and scoring just 13 points on 4-of-13 from the floor despite playing a minute longer than his 32 minutes in the opener where he unloaded 37 points.

Jay Washington, the conference best player, has been consistent (16 and 20 points). But the SMB coaching staff has to look beyond J-Wash and Arwind Santos (2-of-11 treys) for offense and set up as well their more prodigious shooters like Dondon Hontiveros (0-of-4 in Game 2) and the suddenly hot Joseph Yeo (6-of-9 triples Sunday).

But the biggest key for San Miguel would be negating the playmaking brilliance of Tenorio, the former Ateneo Blue Eagle star, and the inside forays of Cyrus Baguio.

Tenorio had 13 points (3 triples), 5 rebounds and 8 assists in Game 1, and 6 points, 5 rebounds and 4 assists in a quiet Game 2.

Baguio had 14 points on Friday and 12 last Sunday.

Working the triangle offense – getting the ball to the post player and setting the intricate pattern in motion – has been a walk in the park for the two Alaska backcourt personnel, with hardly nothing disrupting them in their task.

Baguio has blossomed from a one-dimensional one-on-one specialist into a more complex player, going for a fall-away break jump or creating scoring opportunities for his teammates with his ability to swirl through the defense.

Tenorio, on the other hand, is confidence and boldness personified, possessing no qualms about launching a 3-point bomb when the mood strikes him, dribble-penetrating for a one-handed floater when the defense blinks, or staying within the flow and orchestrating the offense from above the keyhole just to please his coach.

The Beermen are on the brink of a disastrous end, with only an Aces slip-up standing in the way of a nightmarish fate.

Waiting for Alaska to fall into a complacency sinkhole – something Alaska coach Tim Cone would never allow – would, however, be the gravest mistake San Miguel could make.

This championship series could still be saved from ignominy if the Beermen could muster the will their predecessors lived on, and if the men who calls the shots from the bench could conjure up the coaching magic their forerunners once weaved.

Otherwise, the yawning chasm awaits its latest victim.