Alaska Aces: Ready for the future
October 5, 2011 | 4:41pm
Anyone who would look back at the Alaska Milk basketball team’s first 25 years would surely marvel at how great it was.
Team owner Wilfred Steven Uytengsu, Jr. he with the burning passion for excellence, himself is amazed by what they achieved, saying what a journey it was.
The Aces scaled Mount Olympus of the Philippine Basketball Association, carving a great niche with 25 finals apperances and 13 championships, including the grand slam in 1996 and near repeat in 1998, in a great run making the team synonymous to winning.
It was an epic tale that will be talked about, emulated and celebrated by future generations.
Now beckons the new era for the proud ball club.
Coincidentally, the Aces and longtime coach Tim Cone parted ways just as the team wound up a quarter of a century of PBA play.
Thus, the Aces will be having a veritable new beginning.
“We have a new chapter now. We have a new coach but we intend to keep our winning ways,” said Alaska team manager Joaqui Trillo, upbeat on their future withcoach Joel Banal.
“We’re looking forward to a big year. Just done celebrating our 25th year, we want to start our new erawith a championship,” Trillo added.
Banal and the players themselves are upbeat, believing they have what it takes to battle and win in the 37th PBA season firing off today (Sunday) at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
TheAces take on the Barangay Ginebra Kings on Oct. 9 at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo to open their campaign in the new season.
The newly designated Alaska mentor is happy with the roster that he inherited from Cone, believing it can compete with any team in the league, carrying its oldmantra of teamwork, discipline, determination and integrity.
“You’ll always be comfortable having a (Sonny) Thoss at the frontline and an LA Tenorio at point guard. Add a prolific scorer in Cyrus Baguio and Tony dela Cruz with his leadership, experience and great work ethic, and we really have a competitive team,” he said.“In order to start the next chapter in our team’s history, we have to re-commit ourselves to winning under coach Joel. That includes extra practices, video sessions, etc. Coach Tim made a name for himself and our team by winning, and now Alaska needs to continue to do that under coach Joel. I’m very excited and optimistic with our chances,” Dela Cruz offered.
“Alaska will continue to aim for excellence, and work hard to be able to keep the team’s winning tradition,” Tenorio shared.
“At Alaska with its winning tradition and legacy, you can never have any expectation but to win,” opined Baguio.
Dela Cruz, Tenorio, Thoss and Baguio lead Alaska’s old nucleus that also includes Jay-R Reyes, Bonbon Custodio, Paolo Bugia, Brandon Cablay, Samigue Eman and Wesley Gonzales.
Marnel Baracael, Eric Salamat, Ariel Mepana and Julius Pasculado are new faces that are reinforcing the team with Hans Thiele and Ervin Sotto being relegated
to the reserve/injured list.
Banal has no plan of tinkering with Alaska’s triangle offense, saying it’s the same formula that helped him win championships in the UAAP for Ateneo and in thePBL with Hapee Nenuco.
“I’ve been using that since 1991 when I coached RC Cola in the PBL. I dissected Chicago Bulls tapes andhave since done their plays in all the teams that I’ve been with,” said Banal, one of few who had championships won in the NCAA, UAAP, the PBL and the PBA.
There will be variations, though.
“Coach Joel is going along the triangle but, at the same time, will let the players play their own game. If they can run some plays on their own, coach Joel will let that,” said Trillo of his understanding of the schemes of their new bench chieftain.
“It’s good if you can always run the triangle properly but with the system you can also become predictable. That’s why I believe coach Joel is giving the players more leeway,” Trillo added.
On the management side, the Alaska top executive stressed there will surely be no changes insofar as working on environment of fair play and professionalism is concerned.
“We’ll stick to what we’ve been doing the past 25 years. It’s sweeter to win that way because you know you work within the parameters,” said Trillo.Uytengsu was very vocal on his being amazed at how some teams are able to stay within the salary cap while loading up their rosters with marquee players.
Some other teams later also expressed belief that the salary cap rule is being violated.
On his incessant call, the league board approved a wage hike, raising the individual maximum monthly pay from P350,000 to P420,000 and the team annual cap from P36 million to P42 million.
Whatever is the rule, Trillo said Alaska would live by and win by.
That’s what Alaska’s dictum and what it practiced in the last 25 years, making it real proud of the triumphs and a glowing reputation it has built.
“How can you not be proud of that organization with such a tradition, legacy and integrity?” said Dela Cruz.
“I’m so honored and grateful to be part of Alaska,” said Tenorio.
The Alaska Aces team has got a treasured spot in league history that can never be taken away from it. For Banal and his troops, the challenge is how to keep the team’s winning ways.
BrandSpace Articles
<
>
- Latest
- Trending
Trending
Latest
Trending
By Ralph Edwin Villanueva | 6 hours ago
By Ian Laqui | 14 hours ago
By Anthony Suntay | 11 hours ago
By Joey Villar | 9 hours ago
Recommended
1 day ago
2 days ago
2 days ago
2 days ago
