Alaska Aces Game 1: The Importance of a good start

This season, I will be writing more about the PBA but will chronicle in particular the campaign of the Alaska Aces.

The Importance of a good start

Alaska 88 vs. Barako Bull 64

by rick olivares

October 8

Araneta Coliseum

Tim Cone knows it’s a long season. It’s only the conference opener and even if his Alaska Aces were spotted a huge lead, there was no need to stomp his feet and read his troops the riot act. For the second year in a row, Alaska was opening the PBA season against Barako Bull. They’ve won three of the their last four season and conference debuts including a 99-83 drubbing of the Energy Boosters last year.

Before his team left the dugout, Cone stressed the importance of a good start because he likes to believe that its sets the tone for the campaign. Unfortunately, as the first quarter got underway, his team missed its first seven shots. In the meantime, the Energy Boosters’ Mark Isip and Hans Thiele were raining jumpshots like there was a downpour inside the Araneta Coliseum.

The lack of energy by the Aces was noticeable. While Barako Bull was pumped up because of their bevy of youthful players on their side, Alaska, with its veteran line-up, was cool; their demeanor born of many a previous campaign and the knowledge that they’ve been down before but never out.

Just a few weeks earlier during the 25^th anniversary celebration of the club at the Dusit Thani Hotel, team owner Fred Uytengsu bared his goal of becoming the most winning squad in PBA history. His Aces are five titles behind San Miguel Beer. Their recent Fiesta Conference win – Alaska’s 13^th overall -- was the first or second for many of the players on the roster and clearly, they are hungry for more.

Last year’s title was now in the history books. This was a new campaign and they were facing a souped up Barako Bulls team with new acquisitions in gunner Sunday Salvacion, point guard Marvin Cruz, and Thiele.

The Aces got right back in the game as they rode the hot hand of center Sonny Thoss who took it inside against Isip to creep behind by four 14-18 at the end of the first quarter.

Alaska, however, was unable to parlay Thoss’ binge into the second quarter as it was Barako Bull that unloaded a 9-1 blast to take a 12-point lead at 27-15. Yet instead of calling for a breather, Cone let his players sort it out as forward Tony dela Cruz made a couple of shots while Joe Devance drilled two consecutive triples to bring the Energy Boosters’ lead down to four 28-32.

With Isip in foul trouble, Barako coach re-inserted massive center Mark Andaya whose physical play was perhaps what Alaska needed to snap out of the slumber. After Andaya traded shots and barbs with Thoss, an inadvertent elbow by the Energy Boosters’ man mountain nearly nailed Aces’ guard LA Tenorio in the neck. The former Ateneo Blue Eagle pointed to the referee who saw what happened but failed to blow his whistle. Andaya reached out to Tenorio to apologize but the guard was already scooting downcourt. He then made Barako Bull pay with a three-point play off Paolo Hubalde and a buzzer beating triple to give Alaska a 35-34 lead heading into the half.

While the coaches convened in one corner, the players sat by their cubicles and changed into fresh jerseys. After a five-minute conference with his coaches, Cone faced his players. “What are they doing right?” he asked.

After a moment of silence, Devance chipped in, “They’re able to pass the ball to where they want.”

“That’s right,” acknowledged the coach with nod towards his Afro-sporting forward. “We’re letting them dictate the game.”

The triangle offense that Alaska has run fulltime since Cone began his 21-year stint with the ballclub is complex. It demands a certain type of player who can read defenses while running to different spots on the floor either to pass or to take the shot. “Gentlemen,” said Cone in a soft tone to catch their attention, the triangle is a playground. Inside, you can do whatever you want. It’s your sandbox. Once you get out it’s like kids climbing over the fence. You get lost, get run over by a car, or whatever. The triangle gives you the freedom to do what it takes to win. Considering how bad we played, it’s amazing that we have a one-point lead.”

The team lacked some fire and aggressiveness. “Yan ang tinatawag na kulang sa practice,” offered Tenorio as the team made their way back to the court. “Hindi naman siguro championship hangover. Alam naman namin na ibang comnference na ‘to. We just have to go out and get ourselves back into game shape.”

“Go out and set the tempo,” encouraged Cone right before the start of the second half.

After the team traded baskets early on, Tenorio collected the outlet pass and found Devance streaking towards the basket with a bounce pass that he finished off for a three-point play. Although Devance missed the free throw, the spectacular play sparked Alaska as they unloaded 9 straight points to take control of the match.

After Salvacion connected for a triple for Barako Bull, Alaska replied with four consecutive treys that gave them a 60-47 lead.

With 1:14 left in the third quarter, Cone sent in his lone rookie in Elmer Espiritu. After the former UE Red Warrior pulled down an offensive board, he took an elbow to the mouth from Isip that sent him back to the bench. Although he returned later on to collect a few more rebounds and a steal, Espiritu was just glad to be able to get some playing time.

“He is behind some veterans,” explained Cone. “For him to get more minutes he has to earn them.”

Said Espiritu, “Okay lang naman sa akin. Natupad ko rin yung pangarap ko lalo na nandito ako sa team na kinakampihan ko nung bata pa ako. So learning experience sa akin dahil iba rin yung sistema.”

If Espiritu was grateful, off guard Cyrus Baguio, now with his fourth PBA team, feels honored. He thought that when he was with Red Bull (formerly Barako Bull), he had found a home. But the core of the title squad was broken up owning to finances. When he went to Ginebra San Miguel, he was elated that he had gone to the PBA’s most popular team. Except that he found himself in limited minutes with a logjam at the position. “When they put me in the starting five here in Alaska, it was an honor for me. Especially since that was Willie Miller’s old spot,” said Baguio.

“You know how I feel about having Cyrus and Elmer?” gushed Cone before the start of the season. “I had a high-flyer before with Paul Alvarez and that’s where Alaska took off. “Now, I have two. Three if you add Bonbon Custodio. Now that’s enough to put some energy into this old body of mine.”

With trio along with Tenorio gives Alaska speed to get out on the floor and finish with a flourish.

During the early part of the game as Tenorio struggled with his shot, the crowd grumbled with his misses. It was evident that he is already primetime from the way the audience hangs on his every move. When he finally got one of those patented corkscrew reverse layups of his to drop, the crowd erupted in gleeful abandon.

Alaska went on to hold Barako Bull to 30 points in the second half while scoring 53 of their own for an 88-64 win.

Inside the Alaska dugout, the collective mood is one of muted elation. The team knows it’s just the first game of a long season more so since the PBA has gone back to the old three-conference format.

After talking about schedules and their next practices and game, the team huddled for a post-game prayer led by guard Topex Robinson who was out with a mild injury along with forward Reynel Hugnatan.

As the team changed out of their gear, the coaching staff gathered around Espiritu who had a busted lip. “You look like a character from out of True Blood,” joked Cone.

“No kissing tonight for you,” chimed in assistant coach Jojo Lastimosa as the team guffawed. Espiritu smiled happy to be amidst it all.

“Well, that’s a wrap,” said Cone with finality as he drank from his water bottle. He went out of the dugout and to the court to watch the San Miguel-Air21 game.

Alaska 88 – Devance 24, Tenorio 18, Thoss 11, Baguio 11, Custodio 9, dela Cruz 8, Sotto 6, Eman 1, Espiritu 0, Borboran 0

Barako Bull 64 – Salvacion 22, Isip 14, Thiele 12, Wainwright 5, Juntilla 4, Alonzo 2, Hubalde 2, Cruz 1, Duncil 0, Dimaunahan 0