Aces Eye Back-to-Back Titles

Alaska Aces website
Thursday, September 20, 2007



The Alaska Aces want to do something that no team has been able to do in the Philippine Basketball Association in four years and no other PBA team is capable of doing this coming Philippine Cup.

The Aces want to win back-to-back PBA titles.

It is something which has not been done in a while. Winning back-to-back titles will be our goal this conference, said Alaska General Manager Joaqui Trillo.

The last team to accomplish the feat was Barangay Ginebra when it won the 2004 Fiesta Conference and followed it up with 2004-2005 Philippine Cup title.

Trillo conceded that Barangay Ginebra had a very good team but expressed his confidence that the Aces will measure up to the challenge.

For one, the morale of the Alaska Aces is at an all-time high. The team just returned from a week-long trip to Los Angeles, California at company expense.

Tuwang-tuwa ang mga players. Alaska paid for the trip for one player and one companion. Most of the players brought along their kids of course and we had a very big group of around 60 who had a wonderful stay in the States, said Trillo.

The trip was not just a vacation but was also meant to strengthen the bonds of friendship among the players.
It is a great opportunity for the players to spend time together. We have become very good friends over the years. We watch out for each other on and off the court. And we are a better team because the players watch out for each other, said Trillo.

Alaska is virtually intact having lost only Nic Belasco to the Welcoat Dragons for Junjun Cabatu and Dale Singson to retirement.

Still with the team are Sonny Thoss, Reynel Hugnatan, John Ferriols, Aaron Aban, Eddie Laure, Tony Dela Cruz, Jeff Cariaso, Mike Cortez and 2007 MVP Willie Miller.

The Alaska general manager has already signed up Alaska rookie draftees Ken Bono and JR Quinahan.

Meanwhile, thanks to the late game heroics of Ferriols the Aces tallied their first win in the PBA pre-season games when they whipped the Coca-Cola Tigers, 95-89, at the Polytechnic University of the Philippines Gym last Sep. 19.

Ferriols scored six of his 10 points in the last 47 seconds of the game to power the Aces to victory.

With the score tied at 89-all Ferriols converted a field goal despite being fouled by Mark Isip of Coke. He then converted his bonus free throw to push Alaska ahead by three points, 92-89.

Ferriols and Dela Cruz finalized the scores, 95-89, on three more free throws.

Dela Cruz led Alaska with 18 points while Miller chipped in 12 markers. JR Quinahan, Thoss and Ferriols contributed identical 10 points.

Alaska 95
Dela Cruz 18, Miller 12, Quinahan 10, Thoss 10, Ferriols 10, Aban 9, Hugnatan 8, Luanzon 5, Laure 4, Bono 4, Capus 3, Gonzales 2.
Coca-Cola 89
Buenafe 16, Telan 16, Isip 14, Duremdes 12, Peek 8, Cabagnot 6, Calimag 5, Tolomia 5, Echavez 3, Misolas 2, Enrile 2.