Defense wins championships

Alaska Aces website
Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Last conference Alaska was not among the pre-season favorites but somehow ran away with the Philippine Basketball Association Fiesta Conference championship with the help of do-everything import Rosell Ellis and by containing the offense of every other team with an untiring, unforgiving defense.

Ellis will not be around this coming Philippine Cup, but Alaska retains its defensive orientation which has the team as focused in making stops as in making points.

Alaska is unique among PBA teams because the Aces practice defensive rotations and drills as much as they practice their offense.

The only contribution of the Aces to the ill-fated national team which stumbled in Tokushima, Japan, defensive ace Tony Dela Cruz, returns just in time to help the Aces go after back-to-back PBA titles.

Coach Tim Cone has always preached defense. He always keeps telling us that defense wins championships. Our team is very defense-oriented. That is the main reason for our success, said Dela Cruz.

Dela Cruz was a member of the past RP team. National team mentor Chot Reyes obviously did not recruit him to be the squad's primary option on offense. Reyes already had Dondon Hontiveros and Renren Ritualo as his team's outside gunners.

Dela Cruz was brought in as a perimeter defender because long before he became a star player with the Shell Turbo Chargers and then Alaska, Dela Cruz was known as a defensive stopper.

I've always worked hard on defense. With Alaska I just want to help in any way I can. I want to contribute to help the team win games and hopefully another championship, said Dela Cruz

Born in West Covina on Aug. 24, 1978 Dela Cruz grew up in Carson City, California. He went to Carson High School and then college at the University of California, Irvine. His favorite team is the Los Angeles Lakers which he dreamed of joining. Former Lakers guard and now New Orleans Hornets coach Byron Scott is his favorite player.

The versatile six-foot-four forward who can play multiple positions from point guard to power forward will be a welcome addition to the Alaska Aces. Dela Cruz is a tenacious defender who is quick enough to shadow the guards of opposing teams and strong enough to defend the post against PBA big men.

I feel confident enough to realize that Alaska wants me back on the team even though they won a title without me. But obviously I have something to prove. I want to show that I belong. Hopefully we get another championship with me playing soon, said Dela Cruz

Dela Cruz still has a year to go in his contract which runs until July 31, 2008. Hopefully before then Alaska will have won another PBA championship with Dela Cruz playing a big role in the team.