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Alaska Aces (PBA)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Philippine professional basketball team
For the ice hockey team, seeAlaska Aces (ECHL).

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Alaska Aces
Alaska Aces logo
Founded1986
FoldedSold in 2022
HistoryAlaska Milkmen (1986, 1988–1989, 1991–2000)
Hills Bros. Coffee Kings (1987)
Alaska Air Force (1990)
Alaska Aces (2001–2022)
Team colorsRed, Black, White
   
CompanyAlaska Milk Corporation
Team managerRichard Bachman
Head coachJeffrey Cariaso
OwnershipWilfred Uytengsu Jr.
Championships14 championships

1991Third Conference
1994Governors'
1995Governors'
1996All-Filipino
1996Commissioner's
1996Governors'
1997Governors'
1998All-Filipino
1998Commissioner's
2000All-Filipino
2003Invitational
2007Fiesta
2010Fiesta
2013Commissioner's

31 Finals appearances
Retired numbers7 (6,7,14,16,20,22,33)
Websitewww.alaskaaces.com.ph
Light jersey jersey
Team colours
Light jersey
Dark jersey jersey
Team colours
Dark jersey
Retro jersey jersey
Team colours
Retro jersey

TheAlaska Aces were a professional basketball team in thePhilippine Basketball Association since1986 under the ownership ofAlaska Milk Corporation (AMC) and the owner of 14 PBA championships, tied with theMagnolia Hotshots for the third-most titles overall. They were one of the most popular teams in the league and thePhilippines.

The Aces won nine PBA championships in the 1990s, including a raregrand slam (winning three championships in one season) during the1996 season, joining theCrispa Redmanizers (1976,1983),San Miguel Beermen (1989), and theSan Mig Super Coffee Mixers (2013–14) as one of only four franchises to achieve the feat.

The Aces last tournament was the2021 PBA Governors' Cup where they were eliminated by theNLEX Road Warriors in the quarterfinal round in March 2022. The franchise was bought byConverge ICT on March 23, 2022, to become theConverge FiberXers.[1]

The team, like the company which owns it, has no connection to theUS state ofAlaska.[2]

History

[edit]

1986: First season

[edit]

After the temporary departure of theMagnolia franchise prior to the start of the1986 PBA season, the league was reduced to only five teams. Alaska Milk was accepted as the league's sixth member. Being a pro league newcomer, the ballclub was allowed to choose players from the pool presented by the PBA. The team was headed by Filipino-American ownerWilfred Steven Uytengsu, team manager Joel Aquino and their coach was Tony Vasquez, who played for Ateneo de Manila during his playing days and as a coach, he piloted the Ateneo juniors to an NCAA championship and also once mentored the Blue Eagles.

Among the players they choose from the pool wereArnie Tuadles andRicky Relosa from Ginebra,Rudy Distrito, Marte Saldaña and Noli Banate from Magnolia, Alejo Alolor,Teddy Alfarero andFrankie Lim from Great Taste, and Dennis Abbatuan from Shell. In the PBA draft, as the newest member of the league, they had the first crack and Alaska selectedRey Cuenco as the number one overall pick. In the second and third rounds, they choose Ludovico Valenciano and Reynaldo Ramos.[3]

Their very first two imports in the first conference of the season were the returningDonnie Ray Koonce andJerry Eaves, a third round draft pick by the Utah Jazz in 1982 and who played for Utah's entire 82-game regular season in his rookie year. Both were handpicked by Alaska coaching consultantNorman Black, the former import and coach of the defunct Magnolia quintet who signed a one-year contract with the new team.

Alaska placed fourth in their inaugural conference and missed out the semifinal round in the second and third conferences, placing fifth and sixth.

1987–1988: Bruise Brothers era

[edit]

Astrike withinAlaska Milk Corporation led the team to play under a different brand. AMC brought inHills Bros. Coffee to mitigate the strike's impact on its brand.[4] The ballclub, temporarily renamed as the Hills Bros. Coffee Kings, had a new coach inNat Canson, who last coached the Gold Eagle Beer squad in 1984. Following Manila Beer's disbandment, the Coffee Kings acquired three players from the Brewmasters;Elpidio Villamin, Tim Coloso and sophomore Adonis Tierra. They also acquired three-time PBA MVPWilliam 'Bogs' Adornado from Shell via trade and Ginebra discard Joey Marquez.[5]

In the 1987 All-Filipino Conference, the Coffee Kings surprisingly made it to the finals against corporate rivalGreat Taste Coffee Makers. This mark the birth of the tandem known as the "Bruise Brothers" inYoyoy Villamin and Ricky Relosa, both players during their earlier years in the PBA were the promising forwards of legendary teams Crispa and Toyota. Villamin played alongsideAbet Guidaben andPhilip Cezar for Crispa while Relosa were teammates withRamon Fernandez andAbe King at Toyota. The Coffee Kings were swept in the finals by Great Taste in three games. Coach Nat Canson resigned three weeks after the championship series.

Former Tanduay coachArturo Valenzona, who himself was ax from the job by Tanduay management after the Rhum Makers were eliminated, accepted the offer to coach the Hills Bros. Coffee Kings starting the third conference.[6] Parading a sweet-shooting importJose Slaughter, who breaks the previous record for most three-point shots converted with 14 triples as he finished with 79 points in the October 18 game against Great Taste which they won, 129–115. Hills Bros were in their second finals stint after beating the Billy Ray Bates led-Ginebra in a playoff game on December 1, 1987. They faced San Miguel Beermen (formerly Magnolia) in the Reinforced Conference championship series and after winning Game One, they lost the next four games and finished bridesmaid for the second straight conference of the season.

Returning to Alaska Milk in the1988 PBA season, the team signed three players from Shell; Rey Lazaro,Biboy Ravanes and Willie Pearson to strengthen its lineup. Before the start of the season, Bogs Adornado announces his retirement from active playing and was given recognition by the PBA in the opening day on March 20, 1988. Alaska placed third in the Open and All-Filipino Conference of the season. Bogs Adornado would replace Arturo Valenzona as the team's head coach beginning the third conference.

1989–1992: Arrival of coach Tim Cone and Jolas with their 1st title

[edit]

The year1989 was an exciting year for Alaska as the team drafted the high-leapingPaul Alvarez and the backcourt tandem ofRic-Ric Marata andElmer Cabahug. Veteran centerAbet Guidaben, who has been disgruntled in the last three months of the 1988 season following a bitter trade with Ramon Fernandez that sent him to Purefoods Hotdogs, has joined the "Bruise Brothers" to form a force inside the paint. Alaska was able to hireSean Chambers, who played with the American selection in two previous PBA/IBA series, as their import to replaced their first choice Carl Lott in the1989 Open Conference. Chambers led Alaska to a third-place finish in his first PBA stint.

AmericanTim Cone, a member of the PBA's vintage panel, accepted the coaching chores for Alaska Milk on full-time starting the All-Filipino Conference. Alaska has long without a coach when Bogs Adornado was sacked after the elimination round of the first conference and team manager Joel Aquino handled the team on interim basis.

Alaska continues to struggle despite the mixture of veterans and young players in the roster and team owner Wilfred Uytengsu could not hide his disappointment when the Milkmen went winless in the semifinals of the 1990 All-Filipino Conference. They got rid of one of their veterans; Abet Guidaben, who was traded to Pepsi for Harmon Codiñera.

In the third conference of the1990 PBA season, Alaska finally advances in the finals for the third time in franchise history and their first since the 1987 season. Going up against thePurefoods Hotdogs, both teams were gunning for their first championship. Alaska had former Boston CelticCarlos Clark andSean Chambers as their imports to be pitted againstDaren Queenan andRobert Rose of the Hotdogs. The Milkmen went up 2–0 in the best-of-five title series and on a threshold of winning their first trophy, but Purefoods came back and win the last three games to capture the 1990 PBA third conference crown.

1991:The JOLAS Era a.k.a. The Helicopter and Mr. Clutch.

Beginning the1991 PBA season, the team let go of its vital cog, Yoyoy Villamin, who was traded along with Ric-Ric Marata to Sarsi. Elmer Cabahug was shipped to Purefoods and Alaska acquired the Hotdogs star playerJojo Lastimosa in return as he will team up withPaul Alvarez in which coachTim Cone describes as unbeatable tandem. Alaska signed their two first round picks in the rookie draft, Alex Araneta and Eugene Quilban and their third rookie, Rhoel Gomez. There were criticisms on some of Alaska's moves during the off-season as they say experience was supposed to win championships instead of the fountain of youth.

After a third-place showing in the All-Filipino Conference, the Milkmen returned to the finals in the Third Conference with Paul Alvarez back in form after being idle for almost eight months, recuperating from the injury he suffered in 1990, in Game three of the title playoffs. Playing against crowd-favoriteGinebra San Miguel, the Milkmen finally won their first PBA title, winning the best of five series, three games to one. Alaska importSean Chambers got the better of his counterpart, Ginebra importWes Matthews, in the four-game series.

In 1992, Alaska owned the second pick in the draft and they choose the burly 6'4" Stevenson Solomon, who had been in the mold of a Yoyoy Villamin and was part of the national team that regain the SEA Games basketball gold in Manila. Another national player, Allen Sasan, was chosen by Alaska in the first round. Despite a stronger lineup compared to the previous year, and with Lastimosa and Alvarez playing together for one full season, the Milkmen were eliminated in the All-Filipino and third conferences.

1993–1995: The Abarrientos era and the rivalry with Sunkist

[edit]

Alaska previously had the best point guards in the past four years to back up their veteran and starting point guardFrankie Lim, Ricric Marata for two years, then Eugene Quilban andGilbert 'Jun' Reyes (whom Quilban was traded for), all big names during their amateur days. In 1993, Alaska picked another point guard in the rookie draft as the third overall, former FEU TamarawJohnny Abarrientos, who has been making waves in thePhilippine Basketball League, winning PBL titles for three seasons and was expected to follow the footsteps ofHector Calma andRonnie Magsanoc in the pros. He will be the starting point guard of Alaska as Frankie Lim, the last among the original milkmen, decided to moved out and joined the Purefoods TJ Hotdogs.

The beginning of what turn out to be a dynasty in the second part of the 1990s started in the1994 season. The Milkmen in the middle of last year acquired forwardBong Hawkins fromSta. Lucia Realtors. The team selected 6'5" centerPoch Juinio in the1994 PBA draft. Alaska would win their second PBA title in the third conference called Governors Cup, defeating Swift Mighty Meaties in six games.

Swift, renamed Sunkist Orange Juicers in the1995 PBA season, became Alaska's finals rival that year. They played in the championship in the first two conferences of the season and the Orange Juicers prevailed both times. The three consecutive finals meeting between the two teams was the first since Crispa and Toyota in 1975–1976. Alaska was able to stop Sunkist' quest for a grandslam by retaining the Governors Cup crown, defeating San Miguel Beermen in seven games.

1996 Grand Slam

[edit]

Alaska return to the All-Filipino Cup finals against Purefoods, who were back in the All-Filipino finals after missing out in 1995. The Milkmen were considered the underdogs before the best of seven title showdown. They outbattled a tough and gritty TJ Hotdogs and won in just five games. Last season's rookie of the yearJeffrey Cariaso converted two free throws with 0.6 of a second remaining in overtime of Game five and Purefoods up by one, 92–91, to win it in a fitting moment as Alaska won their first All-Filipino title and their fourth PBA crown.

The Milkmen were in their seventh straight finals appearance when they go up against surprise finalist Formula Shell for the Commissioner's Cup title. The Milkmen were given a hard time by the Shell team ofBenjie Paras,Victor Pablo and import Kenny Redfield. The finals series went into a seventh and deciding game and Alaska's championship experience prove to be a key factor in winning, 83–77. Their import, Sean Chambers, was a late replacement forDerrick Hamilton, who was sent packing after traces of marijuana were discovered in his urine during the last stages of the semifinals.

In the Governor's Cup, Alaska completed the PBA's fourth grandslam, defeating Ginebra San Miguel in five games. In the year-end awards,Johnny Abarrientos was named MVP,Bong Hawkins settled for the Mythical five withJojo Lastimosa, Starting centerPoch Juinio was the season's most improved player andSean Chambers was a runaway winner of the best import award.

The dynasty continues (1997–1998)

[edit]

Before the1997 PBA season started, Alaska lost three players who were integral part of the team that bagged four straight titles, they are Jun Reyes, whom Alaska dealt to Sta.Lucia in exchange for Boyet Fernandez, centerCris Bolado, who moved to Purefoods, and Jeffrey Cariaso, who was shipped to Mobiline. New acquisitions Dwight Lago, Rodney Santos and Boyet Fernandez would be hampered by their unfamiliarity with Alaska's vaunted triangle offense.

In the All-Filipino Cup, the Milkmen were eliminated from the semifinals for the first time in four years. They return to the finals in the Commissioner's Cup but lost to Gordon's Gin Boars (formerly Ginebra) in six games. Alaska was able to retain the only crown left in their grandslam conquest last year by winning their fourth straight Governor's Cup trophy. Late in the eliminations, they acquired veteran centerJack Tanuan and the high-flyingKenneth Duremdes in exchange for Dwight Lago andBoyet Fernandez fromPop Cola. Duremdes became a perfect replacement for Cariaso and in the title series against Purefoods Carne Norte Beefies, the Milkmen had an easier time in winning four games to one after losing the series opener. Alaska showed no mercy in a 94–66 rout in Game five.

The Milkmen were in a bid for a second grandslam in the1998 season after defeating the Ron Jacobs-coached San Miguel Beermen twice in the finals of the first two conferences. They came back from a 2–3 series deficit in the All-Filipino Cup to win in seven games. In the Commissioner's Cup, dreadlock-sporting Devin Davis became the only other Alaska import in the 1990s besides Sean Chambers to lead the team to the crown. The Milkmen won their 9th PBA title, tying the famedToyota Super Corollas as the third winningest ball club.

The possible 'Grand Slam II' for the team didn't happen with the1998 Asian Games set in December andCone being named head coach, Abarrientos, Duremdes and Lastimosa were tapped to lead the Philippine team.

Assistants Jun Reyes and Dickey Bachmann took over for Alaska. But despite a strong showing from the slasher Rodney Santos and their resident shooter, Rhoel Gomez, the Milkmen failed to enter the semis of both the special1998 PBA Centennial Cup and the season-ending Governor's Cup.

Duremdes was named the Most Valuable Player at the end of the year, the second Alaska Milkmen to win the coveted individual award.

10th PBA title

[edit]

With the arrival of some talented Filipino-American cagers in the league, the Milkmen opted to stick with the same core for the1999 season. In the All-Filipino, the Milkmen was eliminated by expansion teamTanduay in the semis.

In the Commissioner's Cup, Devin Davis made his return to the team, but the young San Miguel team ofDanny Ildefonso andDanny Seigle conspired with their import,Terquin Mott, to eliminate the Aces in five games. They finished third in the tournament.

Alaska advanced to the Finals of the Governor's Cup with Chambers at the helm but San Miguel, led byLamont "The Helicopter" Strothers, defeated the Milkmen in six games despite Alaska getting an early 2–1 series lead.

In2000, Jojo Lastimosa was traded to Pop Cola as part of the team's future plan to rebuild. Alaska won their 10th PBA title at the expense of Purefoods in the All-Filipino Conference. Purefoods won Game one of this series but the Milkmen won the next four games to win the series.

The Milkmen failed to enter the Finals of the Commissioner's Cup after they were eliminated by the Beermen in the semi-finals.

2001–2022: Alaska Aces

[edit]

As part of the league's move to strengthen its marketing through the PBA Properties, Alaska adopted a new moniker the Alaska Aces. Despite the change Alaska failed to reach the Finals of the Governor's Cup once again.

2000–01 season

[edit]

Before the2001 season, the Aces traded popular star Johnny Abarrientos to thePop Cola Panthers for forwardAli Peek and guard Jon Ordonio. In the draft, Alaska used the fifth pick to draft Fil-AmJohn Arigo. The Aces also signed Duremdes to a reported 48 million peso deal for seven years. In the All-Filipino conference, the Aces were eliminated in the quarterfinals by Abarrientos and Pop Cola. In the Commissioners Cup, a strong showing by Peek gave defending champion San Miguel a fight but still loss in five games of the semis. In the Governors Cup, they were eliminated in the quarterfinals. Chambers retired three games into the Governors Cup. In a simple ceremony, the Aces retired his #20 jersey, becoming the second player in team history to have his number retired.

2001–02 season

[edit]

Duremdes was borrowed by the Philippine National Team in2002 and Lastimosa made his return to Alaska. The Aces, withRon Riley andMontreal Dobbins as imports, but after 6 games, Dobbins was replaced byJames Head, advanced to the finals of the Governor's Cup against Purefoods. The Aces led 2–0 in the seven-game series, but the TJ Hotdogs won the next three games. After Alaska tied it up in Game Six, Purefoods won Game seven to deny the Aces its 11th title. In the Commissioner's Cup, Ajani Williams and Chris Carawell bannered the Aces but was eliminated by Talk N' Text in the semi-finals. Duremdes returned for the Aces in the All-Filipino and made it to the finals. After winning Game 1, the Aces lost the next three games to settle another runner-up finish.

2002–03 season: Invitational Champs

[edit]

In the2003 PBA Draft, Alaska shocked the league by trading their superstar, Kenneth Duremdes to theSta. Lucia Realtors for the fifth pick of the first round. This enabled Alaska to getBrandon Cablay as the team's top draft pick. The Aces also held the first overall pick in the draft and selectedDe La Salle University-Manila starpoint guardMike Cortez, who was considered as the next great point guard in the Alaska franchise's history, following Johnny Abarrientos.

During halftime of their season opening game, Alaska retired Jojo Lastimosa's #6 jersey. During the offseason, Lastimosa announced hisretirement after playing 15 seasons in the league. He became one of the team's assistant coaches under coach Cone's era.

In the All-Filipino, Alaska failed in its bid to enter the Finals as they were eliminated by Talk 'N Text in a grueling five-game series. However, the Aces won the third-place trophy via a blowout in expense of theSan Miguel Beermen.

In the Invitational tournament, Alaska had to play in the qualifying round to enter the tournament. The Aces swept the elimination round, winning all four of its games, to make it to the semis. In a one-game showdown, Alaska defeatedRed Bull Barako to faceCoca-Cola in the Finals.

The Tigers won Game One of the series, but the Aces won the next two games to win their 11th PBA title, this time with a different set of players. Brandon Cablay was named as Finals MVP, while Ali Peek won Best Player of the Conference honors.

In the Reinforced Conference, Alaska struggled in the tournament and was eliminated by Duremdes and Sta. Lucia in the quarters.

2003–04 Fiesta Conference

[edit]

Alaska paraded formerNBA journeymanGalen Young for the 2004 Fiesta Conference. The Aces placed second after the elimination round of the tournament. But, they failed to enter the finals of the said tournament winning only one game in three outings in the semi-finals.

2004–05 season

[edit]

In the2004–05 season, the Aces managed to finished fourth in the qualifying round. After eliminatingFedEx in the Wild-Card phase, they were swept by San Miguel in the quarters. During the tournament, Arigo and Peek were shipped to Coca-Cola forJeffrey Cariaso andReynel Hugnatan. Bong Hawkins also made his return to the Aces, reuniting him with Cariaso, assistant coach Jojo Lastimosa, and Cone. Alaska hired Leon Derricks for the Fiesta Conference. However, his inconsistent game led to his replacement by formerChicago BullDickey Simpkins. The addition of Simpkins helped Alaska climb into third place at the end of the classification round. The Aces faced Red Bull Thunder in the semis. A back injury sustained by Simpkins, after being elbowed in the back byDorian Peña, prevented him from playing at full strength during the series. Former Alaska Ace,Bryan Gahol, hit the last second shot in Game three to eliminate Alaska from the tournament.

2005–06 season

[edit]

Prior to the start of the2005–06 PBA season, the Aces built up their lineup by acquiring national team pool members,Tony dela Cruz andRich Alvarez from the disbandingShell Turbo Chargers. They also acquired the services of former Mobiline and Coca-Cola import Artemus "Tee" McClary for the Fiesta Conference. After the Aces placed second behind Team Pilipinas in the Brunei Sultan's Cup, with Dela Cruz playing for the said team, the team was considered as one of the top contenders to win the upcoming season. However, they went on a slide after a good start. After Alaska blowing a 28-point lead and losing to thePurefoods Chunkee Giants, the team went on a downhill since. With McClary's decline starting to show, he was eventually replaced by the 3-point shootingOdell Bradley who showed some impressive scoring outputs. However, Alaska still finished seventh in the classification phase with a 7–9 record. The Aces swept Sta. Lucia in a best-of-three matchup in the wildcard phase before being swept in a best-of-five affair by eventual championRed Bull Barako.

Weeks before the start of the Philippine Cup, Alaska traded Brandon Cablay to San Miguel in exchange for veteran Nic Belasco. On May 8, 2006, they tradedDon Allado to Talk 'N Text for guardWillie Miller, forwardJohn Ferriols, & a 2006 first round pick. Alaska finished with a 9–7 record in the classifications, thus earning an outright berth in the quarterfinals. In the quarterfinals, the Aces defeated the Coca-Cola Tigers, with former Alaska starJohnny Abarrientos on the squad, 3–1. The opening game of the series saw Alaska winning on a last second three-pointer byNic Belasco. In the semi-finals against top-seedPurefoods Chunkee Giants, the Aces led 3–1 and was a win away from a finals berth but failed to win all of the remaining games. Alaska would end the tournament on a winning note, capturing the third-place trophy with a 102–95 win over San Miguel, their 12th third-place finish in team history.

2006–07 season: Fiesta Conference Champions

[edit]

Head coachTim Cone signed a contract extension to remain with the team, erasing speculation of his possible dismissal. In the2006 PBA Draft, Alaska selectedLetran'sAaron Aban andUST'sChristian Luanzon.

Alaska started the2006–07 PBA Philippine Cup poorly but rebounded to finish with an 8–10 record for a wildcard berth. After losing in a last-second overtime thriller against Coca-Cola, and a win by Sta. Lucia on the next game date eliminated Alaska from contention despite winning their last game against Sta. Lucia.

Injuries to Reynel Hugnatan and Mike Cortez affected the team's play throughout the said conference.

However, Alaska started the2007 PBA Fiesta Conference with a 7–4 card before the All-Star break, with Roselle Ellis as their import. Shooting Guard, Willie Miller provided a strong performance for the Aces during the tournament posting numerous 20 point-games.

The return of Cortez sparked a late surge by the team by finishing with a 12–6 record and beat Ginebra in a one-game playoff to earn an outright semifinals berth.

After eliminating the San Miguel Beermen in the semifinals via a 4–2 series win, the Aces entered the finals for a 19th time to meet the Talk 'N Text Phone Pals.

Despite a 1–2 and a 2–3 deficit in the titular showdown, Miller, named the league's Most Valuable Player, erupted for 29 points to tie the series in Game 4 and recovered from a dismal performance in Game 5 with a sterling 37-point output in Game 6 to force a decider.

The seventh game was a seesaw battle before Miller fired a go-ahead layup and a Reynel Hugnatan freethrow in the last two minutes to seal a 99–96 championship win for Alaska.

2007–08 season

[edit]

Alaska picked Adamson stalwart,Ken Bono, and University of Visayas Green Lancers starting center,JR "Baby Shaq" Quiñahan as the 6th and 7th overall picks of the2007 PBA Draft along with second round selectionArdy Larong.

In order to free up some cap spaces, the team traded veteran forwardNic Belasco to Welcoat in exchange forJunjun Cabatu while signing free agent Ariel Capus.

In the 2007–08 Philippine Cup, the Aces lost at the semis against Sta. Lucia.

Before the start of the Fiesta Conference, Alaska acquired former King Blue EaglesLA Tenorio andLarry Fonacier in exchange for ace point guard Mike Cortez and 1st round draft pick Ken Bono. They also tapped former Chicago Bull and Talk 'N Text importRandy Holcomb as their reinforcement to help them defend the crown. Alaska, started slowly winning only 2 of their 6 matches including a 4-game losing streak. Then came a rumor that Holcomb would be replaced by former Milwaukee Buck Daniel Santiago. However, it was confirmed that the rumors were not true and they were not in negotiations with the Puerto Rico national team starting center. Alaska came on to a conference high 6-game winning streak and made their record to 8–6 and had a chance of getting a semi-final seat.

In their 2nd-round game against Magnolia, Alaska was trailing along the way until the final minute which they came in and even grabbed the lead, but Alaska's semi-final dream came to an end when a call by the referee with 0.3 seconds left caused them the game. Tied at 99 all, former Alaska Ace Mike Cortez split his freethrows to give Magnolia a one-point lead. However, Larry Fonacier's jumper went in front of the rim as time expired and Magnolia escaped with a nail-biting 100–99 win over the defending champions.

2008–09 season: On the road to 13th title

[edit]

In the 2008 Annual Rookie Draft held on August 31, 2008, at Market! Market!, Taguig, Alaska drafted scoring guardSolomon Mercado at fifth in the first round and grabbing Mapúa starKelvin dela Peña at fifteenth in the second round. A day after the draft, the team acquired 2007 first overall pick and team leading scorerJoe Devance from Rain or Shine (formerly Welcoat Dragons) in exchange for Mercado and wingmanEddie Laure.

On September 4, 2008, the team signed 2004 7th overall pickErvin Sotto. While on September 22, 2008, Alaska traded Quiñahan to the Air21 Express in exchange for 2008 6th overall pickMark Borboran. Meanwhile, the team also signed veteran 6–9 Eric Canlas through free agency.

The Aces started their campaign on their quest for their 4th All-Filipino crown on a high note including a 4–0 start. They struggled in the middle part of the conference but still remained the leader in the standings. Alaska finished as the number one team after the elimination round winning 12 games in 18 matches and was the first team to secure a seat in the Semifinals giving them a long rest. After three weeks of waiting, they faced the defending Philippine Cup champion Sta. Lucia Realtors, a re-match of last year's Semifinals which went to a seven-game grueling series. The Realtors swept the depleted-lineup of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Quarterfinals. The Aces beat the defending champion Realtors in six games to advance and arranged a Finals showdown with the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters. They had a 2–0 lead first but Talk 'N Text tied the series 2–2. In Game 5, Alaska won 95–93 courtesy by Willie Miller's tough three-point shot. In Game 6, Talk 'N Text tied the series 3–3 to force a Game 7. In Game 7, they had a chance to win the title but the missed free throws during the crucial seconds of the game by Miller and Joe Devance gave Talk 'N Text the win and the title, 93–89.

2009–10 season: two straight Finals appearances and their 13th title

[edit]

In the All-Filipino Cup, Alaska started strong and finished in first place in the standings, earning them an automatic semi-final seat. Willie Miller led the Aces in scoring with LA Tenorio continued to blossom for the Aces. They swept Ginebra in the semi-finals and faced Purefoods for the championship, who defeated San Miguel in the semis. Despite their strong output during the eliminations, Purefoods swept them in the finals, including three straight game heart-breaking losses.

In the Fiesta Conference, Alaska paraded importDiamon Simpson. Simpson, who played for theLos Angeles D-Fenders, an NBA D-League team and affiliate of back-to-back NBA championLos Angeles Lakers before coming to the PBA, was very impressive and fit perfectly into Tim Cone's Triangle System. He nearly averaged 30 points and 20 rebounds a game and made Alaska the favorites to win it all in the import-laden conference. In the middle of the conference, leading scorer Willie Miller was traded to theBarangay Ginebra Kings in exchange for high flyerCyrus Baguio. It was stated by Miller's agent[7] that Miller wanted out of Alaska before the season started. After the trade was approved and made, in a coincidence, Alaska's next game was against Ginebra. In that game, the Aces trailed most of the game until the fourth quarter, when Cyrus Baguio finally exploded for 14 points to lead Alaska to a come from behind win. The Aces put team captainJeffrey Cariaso in the reserve list in what would have been his retirement but a few games later, Cariaso returned to play once more. Alaska also signed veteran guardTopex Robinson during the season.

Alaska met rival Talk N Text in the semi-finals. LA Tenorio was awarded as the Most Improved Player in the league. Former Alaska point guardJohnny Abarrientos announced his retirement after playing 15 seasons in the league. The Aces defeated the Tropang Texters in a grueling seven-game series despite being down 2–3. The Aces met top seedSan Miguel Beermen led by best importGabe Freeman in the finals. The Aces dominated the Beermen and won their 12th Championship in six games. LA Tenorio and Cyrus Baguio were named co-Finals MVPs of the series.

At the end of the season,Jeffrey Cariaso retired and Tony Dela Cruz was named the new captain of the team.

2010–11 season: The franchise's 25th anniversary

[edit]

Before the season began, the Aces celebrated their 25th anniversary as a PBA franchise on September 28, 2010. During the commemoration, they formally retired the jerseys ofBong Hawkins (#16) andJohnny Abarrientos (#14). Both players were instrumental for theirgrandslam finish in1996.On draft day, they traded shooterLarry Fonacier to Talk 'N Text in exchange for the fourth overall pick which was used to pick former UE WarriorElmer Espiritu. WithJeffrey Cariaso already retired, they traded their second pick in first round to Meralco for another former UE playerBonbon Custodio. They also drafted JRU'sMarvin Hayes as #2 pick in the second round.

For the duration of thePhilippine Cup, they sported theirthrowback early 1990s light uniform temporary replacing their current light jersey. They finished the conference with a 7–7 record. Thanks to Joe Devance's improved play, good enough for them to be qualified in the quarterfinals. However, they were defeated by Ginebra in a do-or-die five games series despite leading 2–0 and up by 20 in game 5.

In the 2011 Commissioner's Cup, they paraded former Chicago BullEddie Basden as their import. Before the conference started, the Aces played in Cebu for an Invitational Tournament that made them the champions in the said league. However, Basden failed to pass the height limit requirement for imports which was 6'4. They quickly replaced him with 2010 NBA D-League Slam Dunk ChampionLD Williams. They also traded long time bruiserReynel Hugnatan to Meralco for young gunsHans Thiele andPaolo Bugia, released Marvin Hayes and signed guardDon Dulay.Topex Robinson, who still has a live contract with Alaska, joined Tim Cone's crew as one of the assistant coaches of the team.

Before the start of the 2011 Governor's Cup, they traded rookieElmer Espiritu to Air21 in exchange for swingmanWesley Gonzales. On May 27, 2011, Alaska was forced to let go ofJoe Devance after the talented Fil-Am forward begged off. Team manager Joaqui Trillo, however, stressed Devance was guaranteed the maximum pay through the end of his current contract. They eventually decided to trade him to Air21 Express forJay-R Reyes. On the next day, Commissioner Salud requested Air21 to add up another player or its 2011 first round pick as he finds the trade "uneven". The Express responded with the 2011 and 2012 second round picks making Salud nod in the deal. The Aces also signed PBA VeteranAries Dimaunahan. In the third conference, they had a slow start, losing their first two games but quickly bounced back winning four of their last five games, thanks to import Jason Forte's hustle play. The team's improved play led by LA Tenorio and Cyrus Baguio plus newcomer Wesley Gonzales' "real game" started to pay off, and the Aces qualified to the step ladder semifinals. The Aces finished with 8 wins in 13 outings including the semifinals despite losing key players Cyrus Baguio and Wesley Gonzales to injuries. But due to the controversial quotient system, Alaska failed to enter the finals with Petron having the superior quotient despite with the same records with Ginebra and the Aces itself.

2011–12 Tim Cone era ends; Joel Banal succeeds

[edit]

The Aces releasedPaolo Bugia,Don Dulay andMike Burtscher, while guardAries Dimaunahan returned toShopinas.com Clickers where his rights are based. In the2011 PBA draft, Alaska picked former FEU main man and Smart-Gilas standoutMac Baracael at sixth overall in the first round. In the second round, the Aces have four picks and used it to get former Blue Eagle leading scorer Eric Salamat at the 13th, Fil-Am Julius Pasculado at the 14th, and big man Ariel Mepana at the 15th. The Aces also owned the 17th pick but decided to trade it to Meralco for its 2014 second round pick.

On September 1, 2011, Alaska team owner Wilfred Steven Uytengsu held a rare press conference announcing Tim Cone's departure as head coach of the Aces after spending 22 years at the helm with the team. He said that Cone left Alaska to seek opportunities outside of the organization. He was succeeded by his lead assistantJoel Banal, who inked a three-year deal to lead the team. In his first conference as the Aces' new tactician, the team struggled in the All-Filipino Cup and had one of their worst finishes in years, winning only three games out of fourteen outings.They recruited 6'10 Matt Haryasz out ofStanford University as their reinforcement for the Commissioner's Cup. However, Haryasz was replaced by returning import and Mexico national team memberAdam Parada before the start of the conference. The Aces also signed swingmanNiño Gelig to bolster their lineup. Gelig had been a former teammate ofCyrus Baguio and were known as the dynamic combo during their UST days in the UAAP as well as in the now-defunct PBL.

On April 16, 2012, Banal stepped down as coach. Alaska owner Wilfred Uytengsu appointed long-time assistant coachLuigi Trillo, son of the current PBA governor Joaqui Trillo to handle the team for the rest of the season. They also brought back Jason Forte as reinforcement in the Governor's Cup. They went on and finished 9th in the league winning only two of their nine outings. The Aces failed to enter the quarter-finals with the team having its worst finish in a season since it joined the league.

2012–13 season: The Calvin Abueva era,Champions again

[edit]

Having earned the second worst recordthe season before, Alaska was awarded with the second overall pick in the draft lottery. On August 19, 2012, at the PBA Rookie Draft, the Aces selected NCAA Season 87 MVPCalvin Abueva of the San Sebastian Stags as the second overall pick. As most of the analysts said that Abueva, who was monickered as "the Beast" due to his impressive basketball skills, had been the most talented player in the draft. Abueva leads the NCAA in points, rebounds and assists directory. While in the second round, the Aces snatched former UE Warrior point guardRaphy Reyes and swingmanKarl Dehesa. They also retained head coachLuigi Trillo and hiredAlex Compton,Louie Alas and reinstatedTopex Robinson as assistant coaches.Leo Austria was supposed to join the Aces' coaching staff as well but focused first with his head coaching job atAdamson University, making him available for next year.Dickie Bachmann was promoted to assistant manager whileJojo Lastimosa was tasked to man the sports camp director post.

Two weeks after the draft, the Aces made another blockbuster deal involving four other teams. As a result, they sent point guard LA Tenorio to Ginebra and acquiredJVee Casio,Dondon Hontiveros, and Ginebra's 2015 2nd Round Pick.[8] They also signed second round draft pick Raphy Reyes to boost their back court and brought back veteransNic Belasco andEddie Laure, who helped the Aces win the championship last 2007. After theSan Sebastian College-Recoletos Golden Stags bowed out at the hands ofLetran Knights in theNCAA Final Four, Abueva signs with the Aces in a three-year max rookie deal.

The Aces managed to finish 5th in the standings with eight wins on fourteen meetings to qualify the quarterfinals. They swept 4th-seedMeralco Bolts, in two games and entered the semifinals to face defending championTalk 'N Text. Many are surprised with the Aces' performance as they pushed the defending champions in six grueling games before losing.

In the Commissioner's Cup, Alaska tapped formerUniversity of Memphis TigerRobert Dozier as their reinforcement. They also nabbedAldrech Ramos from San Mig Coffee after tradingMac Baracael to Ginebra. Dozier fit perfectly well in the Aces' system and thanks to his brilliant performance plus support from local stars Cyrus Baguio, Sonny Thoss, JVee Casio, Calvin Abueva and sixth man Dondon Hontiveros, Alaska topped the standings with an 11–3 record at the end of the eliminations and gained twice to beat advantage in quarterfinal round. They beat Air21 in the quarterfinals to face San Mig Coffee in the semis, setting up an attempt to finally beat former Alaska long-time coach Tim Cone. San Mig won Game 1 on a Bowles game winner but Alaska regained the momentum as they won the last three games to advance to the Finals againstBarangay Ginebra. They swept the Kings in three lopsided games to win the 2013 Commissioner's Cup trophy. This was the 14th championship for the Aces and the first one without their long-time coach, Tim Cone. Rob Dozier was the run-away Best Import of the Conference, while Sonny Thoss was minted the Finals MVP.

In the Governor's Cup, Alaska tapped former New Mexico State standoutWendell McKines as import. Though McKines was consistent in the tournament by averaging a 30 point-20-rebounds every game, Alaska struggled during the conference but was good enough to qualify in the Playoffs with four wins in nine outings. They faced San Mig Coffee, which has a twice-to-beat advantage. The Aces came back from a 15-point deficit in the first game to force a do-or-die match-up but lost in the second game, bowing out of the Governor's Cup. During the Finals, Alaska rookie Calvin Abueva was named the Rookie Of The Year and included in the PBA Mythical First Team. Guard Cyrus Baguio and Center Sonny Thoss was included in the Mythical Second Team while JVee Casio won the Sportsmanship Award.

On November 12, 2013, the PBA Press Corps awarded Luigi Trillo as the Coach of the Year for the 2012–13 Season beating Grand Slam coaches Norman Black of Talk N' Text and former Alaska head coach Tim Cone of the San Mig Coffee Mixers. Trillo steered Alaska from a lottery team in 2011–12 to a title contender last season. Rookie of the Year Calvin Abueva was named in the All-Rookie Team along with Petron Blaze Boosters' Junemar Fajardo, Meralco Bolts' Cliff Hodge, San Mig Coffee Mixers' Alex Mallari and hotshot Chris Tiu of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.

2013–14 Season: Trillo Out, Compton In

[edit]

Long-time Alaska Governor/Team Manager Joaqui Trillo announced his retirement effectively at the start of the 2013–14 PBA Season. Former Aces assistant coach Dickie Bachmann has been tapped as his replacement.

In the 2013 PBA Draft, Alaska used their 8th overall pick to select former Blue EagleRyan Buenafe, former FEU TamarawChris "Ping" Exciminiano in the second round, and PBA D-League bigman Raymund Ilagan in the third round. The Aces traded their other second round pick to the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters for a future second round pick as well. They also signed formerABL MVP Leo Avenido to bolster their lineup in the upcoming 2013–14 PBA Philippine Cup. The Aces managed to win 8 games in 14 outings and qualify for the playoffs as an eight seed and faced top-seeded Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, who has a twice-to-beat advantage. Alaska forced a do-or-die by taking Game 1 but fell short in Game 2, eliminating them in the process.

In the Commissioner's Cup, the Aces brought back reigning best importRobert Dozier, who helped Alaska snatch their 13th titlethe year before. They tradedAldrech Ramos to Air21 Express for bruiser Vic Manuel to beef up their frontline. The Aces had a 1–3 slow start but managed to win their remaining five games to earn the number 3 seed in the playoffs. They faced sixth seed San Mig Super Coffee Mixers in a best-of-three series. The Aces took Game 1 but lost Games 2 and 3 and again, they failed to enter the semifinals for the third straight conference.

Alaska tapped formerNBA playerBill Walker, who suited up for theBoston Celtics and theNew York Knicks as their reinforcement in the Governor's Cup. After splitting their first two games, Luigi Trillo stepped down as head coach of Alaska. Trillo, who was awarded as the PBA Coach of the Year in 2013, resigned because of "family reasons". With Trillo throwing the towel, team owner Wilfred Uytengsu appointed lead assistant Alex Compton as the team's new tactician. Alaska suffered its worst defeat in history, a 51-point deficit at the hands of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. Rumors sparkled that the team was being put on sale to newcomer NLEX Corp, who wanted to buy an existing franchise instead of starting from scratch. Team manager Dickie Bachmann shut down the rumors stating the team was "here to stay." Uytengsu also denied the rumors and stated that he was not selling the franchise with the second-most wins in the PBA. He called the reports as "silly and laughable". The following week, Alaska extended the contracts of main core players Cyrus Baguio, Sonny Thoss and JVee Casio for another three years. The Aces finished the conference with a 5–4 record making them the third seed and earning a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs. They eliminated crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the quarterfinals, 92–81. The Aces entered the semifinals and faced theRain or Shine Elasto Painters. Despite leading the series two games to one, the Aces lost the series in five grueling games and finished third place in the tournament.

2014–15 Season: The birth of The Comeback Kids and #WeNotMe

[edit]

In the2014 PBA draft, Alaska used the 5th overall pick to select Filipino-Italian guardChris Banchero, who led the San Miguel Beermen to a championship in theABL, and in the second round, they drafted San Beda stalwartRome dela Rosa. The Aces also traded two future second round picks toGlobal Port Batang Pier in exchange for formerPBA MVP Eric Menk. In their preparations for the upcoming season, they hiredRob Beveridge, a well-known successful coach in the Australian Basketball League to improve the team's performance focusing on defense. After signing their rookies Banchero and Dela Rosa to their respective contracts, they also signed veteran swingmanJosh Vanlandingham from the free agent market.They started the season 6–0 atop of the standings in the Philippine Cup[9] but suffered their first loss at the hands of Barako Bull.[10] After winning a road game against GlobalPort in Cagayan de Oro City, they were denied of an outright semi-finals berth after losing two crucial games against Barangay Ginebra and Rain or Shine, respectively. Yet, they still earn a twice-to-beat advantage in the Quarterfinals. After demolishing NLEX in their quarterfinal matchup, the Aces faced Meralco Bolts in the knockout phase and won the game in a blowout fashion to set a rematch with Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in a best-of-seven semi-finals series. They finished the series in six games to faceSan Miguel in the Finals for their 27th finals appearance. They battled the Beermen in seven gruelling games before eventually lost Game 7 by two points.

Alaska tappedD.J. Covington as their import for the Commissioner's Cup. After four games, he was replaced byDamion James. They also traded bruising forwardGabby Espinas to GlobalPort for defensive centerNonoy Baclao. Even with James as their reinforcement, the Aces could not come up with winning streaks, owing to injuries to key players Abueva, Casio, and Thoss. They recorded a 5–6 win loss record after the eliminations. Somehow, they punched a ticket to the Quarterfinals as the No. 6 seed after beating Barangay Ginebra in their last game, to set up a match withPurefoods, who eventually swept them in the Quarterfinal rounds.

In the Governors' Cup, the Aces acquired the services ofRomeo Travis,LeBron James' childhood friend and high school teammate atSt. Vincent-St. Mary. They won the first three games of the conference, but lost two of their next three games to Talk N'Text and NLEX, respectively. Since then, they won four straight to clinch the top spot in the elimination round with 8–3 win–loss record, although they dropped their last game to GlobalPort. They easily deposed Barangay Ginebra in the quarterfinal rounds to set up a semis showdown againstStar Hotshots. They swept the Hotshots, 3–0 and earned a ticket to theFinals for their 28th finals appearance. They set up a rematch against San Miguel, who eventually swept them, 4–0.

2015–16 season: Drive for 15th continues

[edit]
Alex Compton and the Aces during a timeout.

The Aces drafted Letran standoutKevin Racal with the 11th pick in the rookie draft, as well as big man Marion Magat and crafty guard Abel Galliguez. During the offseason, Alaska allowedCalvin Abueva,Sonny Thoss,Dondon Hontiveros and Coach Alex Compton join the Gilas Pilipinas 3.0 national team, who won silver medals in both the2015 William Jones Cup and2015 FIBA Asia Championship.

On November 12, 2015, The PBA franchise celebrated their 30th anniversary with the recognition night for the 30 greatest players in the team's history held in the Enderun College, Taguig.[11]

Alaska was consistent all throughout the All-Filipino eliminations, thanks to their intact lineup, team play and suffocating defense, they won nine out of their eleven outings. The Aces earned the number one spot in the standings, hence, giving them an outright semifinals berth. Alaska faced theGlobalPort Batang Pier in the semi-finals. After losing the first game, the Aces won their next four outings to clinch the first seat in the 2015–16 PBA Philippine Cup Finals and set up last year's finals rematch against theSan Miguel Beermen.

The Aces won the 1st 3 games of the series and was on the verge of winning the championship after leading by 11 points with less than 4 minutes remaining in the pivotal Game 4. However, the Aces would be denied to win the championship blowing a 3–0 lead by the combined efforts of former Aces player, Gabby Espinas, sharpshooter Marcio Lassiter and defensive stalwart, Chris Ross. Alaska suffered the most disappointing finals ever when the Beermen took the last four games and win the championship.

Alaska once again tapped former Best ImportRobert Dozier for the Commissioner's Cup. However, Dozier got injured before the start of the season during practice. With their import sidelined byplantar fasciitis, backup reinforcement Shane Edwards filled in and provided good numbers and led the Aces to five wins in eight outings. Dozier returned three games before the end of the eliminations and the Aces finished third in the standings to qualify for the playoffs. Alaska beatTropang TNT in the quarterfinals in a do-or-die best of three series. The Aces will look for a third consecutive PBA Finals trip as they face theMeralco Bolts in the semifinals. The Aces bested the Bolts in 5 grueling games to face theRain or Shine Elasto Painters in the Finals. Alaska, hampered by injuries, missed the services of key players JVee Casio and Vic Manuel during the championship series. Despite being down by 0–3 in the finals, Alaska managed to forced the series in six games before losing their third consecutive finals.

The Aces tappedLaDontae Henton as their reinforcement for the Governor's Cup. Vic Manuel and JVee Casio returns for Alaska after healing off injuries. On July 14, 2016, after a six-year tenure with Alaska,[12]Cyrus Baguio was traded to thePhoenix Fuel Masters for two second round picks. The Aces decided to trade Baguio due to the emergence of rookie Kevin Racal.

Alaska struggled at the start of the season winning only two matches in five outings even losing to an import-less team San Miguel but went on to a four-game winning streak. The team treated their final outings in the eliminations as "knock out games". On September 16, 2016, Banchero, again, extended his tenure with the Aces. This time, to a longer three-year deal. Terms were not disclosed. The Fil-Italian cager stated that it was an "easy decision" stating "he is very happy with Alaska."[13] He credited the coaching staff and his teammates as the main reason he stayed with the team and hopes he will finish his career with Alaska. The Aces scored an important win in their last game of the eliminations in the season-ending conference to clinch the number six spot by beating the NLEX Road Warriors.[14] Vic Manuel came back from his injury and contributed immediately and faced crowd darling Barangay Ginebra in the playoffs. However, the Aces failed to force a do-or-die game to advance in the semi-finals.

Alaska drafted formerFEU bruiser and currentGilas Pilipinas pool member Carl Bryan Cruz during the 2016 PBA Special Draft. They started the 2016–17 PBA Philippine Cup with key players Sonny Thoss, Calvin Abueva and Noy Baclao in the injured list forcing Cruz, sophomore stretch player Jaypee Mendoza and Marion Magat playing at the center slot. Due to lack of size, the Aces lost their first two games and initiated a deal to send swing man Rome dela Rosa to Star Hotshots in exchange for formerSan Beda teammate big man Jake Pascual. Pascual immediately contributed to the team with his scrappy plays and defense and with Abueva and Manuel returning to top form, Alaska won its next three games. Despite finishing second in the standings and gaining a twice-to-beat advantage, the Aces, hampered by injuries, failed to enter the semi-finals when they lost two in a row to Barangay Ginebra.

2016–17 season

[edit]

In 2016–17, a week after their Philippine Cup campaign, Alaska traded back up point guardRJ Jazul to thePhoenix Fuel Masters in exchange for guardSimon Enciso.[15]

2017–18 season

[edit]

In the Governor's Cup that year, they went up to the Finals, but lost toMagnolia Hotshots.

2021 season: final season

[edit]

On February 16, 2022, Alaska Milk Corporation (AMC) announced that the Alaska Aces will leave the PBA at the end of the2021 Governors' Cup. This was due to a directive byFrieslandCampina, parent company of AMC.[16] Alaska ended their last tournament with a loss to theNLEX Road Warriors in the quarterfinals.[17] Immediately following their last game on March 19, 2022, a brief ceremony was held to mark the Alaska's departure from the PBA.[18]

Franchise's sale to Converge ICT

[edit]
See also:Converge FiberXers

Several companies expressed interest to buy the Aces' franchise.[19] This included Universal Canning, Inc.[20] andConverge ICT which is associated to businessmanDennis Anthony Uy (not to be confused and also not related with namesakeDennis Uy who owned thePhoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters).[21][22]

On March 23, 2022, the PBA announced the sale of the franchise to Converge ICT lock, stock and barrel with unanimous approval by the leagues' Board of Governors.

Converge retained the core of the Alaska Aces team (including the coaching staff) as part of the sale of the franchise within the ongoing season.[23]

In the event the franchise was not sold within the ongoing season, the PBA would have placed the players in adispersal draft.[19][24]

Mascot

[edit]
E. Cow doing a shootaround during the halftime break of the Aces' game against Barangay Ginebra.

E. Cow was the main mascot of the Alaska Aces.[25] He was first introduced during the mid-1990s and was the longest tenured PBA mascot. His image was also used for Alaska Milk advertisements.

Final roster

[edit]
Alaska Aces roster
PlayersCoaches
Pos.#POBNameHeightWeightDOB (YYYY–MM–DD)From
G0PhilippinesRK Ilagan (R)5 ft 7 in (1.70 m)150 lb (68 kg)1997–04–03San Sebastian
G/F1United StatesRobbie Herndon6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)180 lb (82 kg)1993–07–16San Francisco State
F/C2PhilippinesAbu Tratter6 ft 5 in (1.96 m)215 lb (98 kg)1993–01–09De La Salle
G3United StatesMichael DiGregorio6 ft 1 in (1.85 m)185 lb (84 kg)1991–12–12McKendree
G/F5CanadaTaylor Browne (R)6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)185 lb (84 kg)1997–01–30UBC
G12United StatesAlec Stockton (R)6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)170 lb (77 kg)1998–06–24Far Eastern
G13United StatesMaverick Ahanmisi6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)185 lb (84 kg)1991–07–17Minnesota
F/C18PhilippinesBen Adamos (R)6 ft 7 in (2.01 m)200 lb (91 kg)1995–12–30UPHSD
G19PhilippinesJaycee Marcelino5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)1995–10–19Lyceum
G/F21PhilippinesJeron Teng (C)6 ft 2 in (1.88 m)185 lb (84 kg)1994–03–21De La Salle
G24PhilippinesMike Tolomia5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)170 lb (77 kg)1993–01–06Far Eastern
G28PhilippinesAllyn Bulanadi (R)6 ft 0 in (1.83 m)1997–04–28San Sebastian
F31PhilippinesRey Publico6 ft 4 in (1.93 m)1992–11–29Letran
C55PalestineYousef Taha6 ft 8 in (2.03 m)231 lb (105 kg)1988–07–08Mapúa
F61PhilippinesKevin Racal6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)175 lb (79 kg)1991–05–16Letran
F/C96PhilippinesBryan Faundo6 ft 6 in (1.98 m)225 lb (102 kg)1984–02–18Letran
Head coach
Assistant coach(es)
Team manager



Legend
  • (C) Team captain
  • (CI) Commissioner's Cup Import
  • (GI) Governors' Cup Import
  • (EI) EASL Import
  • (DP) Unsigned draft pick
  • (FA) Free agent
  • (IN) Inactive
  • (S) Suspended
  • (R) Rookie
  • Injured Injured

Roster


  • a also serves as Alaska's board governor.

Season-by-season records

[edit]
Main article:List of Alaska Aces (PBA) seasons
Records from the2021 PBA season:
Conf.Team nameElimination roundPlayoffs
FinishWLPCTStageResults
PHIAlaska Aces11th/1238.273Did not qualify
GOV7th/1265.545QuarterfinalsNLEX** def. Alaska in 2 games
Total elimination round913.4090 Semifinals appearance
Total playoffs11.5000 Finals appearance
Total 20211014.4170 Championships
Total franchise997831.54514 Championships

*one-game playoffs
**team had the twice-to-beat advantage

Awards

[edit]

Individual awards

[edit]
PBA Most Valuable PlayerFinals MVPPBA Best Player of the Conference
PBA Rookie of the Year AwardPBA All-Defensive TeamPBA Mythical First Team
PBA Mythical Second TeamPBA Most Improved PlayerPBA Sportsmanship Award
PBA Best Import

PBA Press Corps Individual Awards

[edit]
Executive of the YearBaby Dalupan Coach of the YearDefensive Player of the Year
Bogs Adornado Comeback Player of the YearMr. Quality MinutesAll-Rookie Team

All-Star Weekend

[edit]
All Star MVPObstacle ChallengeThree-point ShootoutSlam Dunk ContestAll-Star Selection
  • Rhoel Gomez- 1997

1989

1990

1991

1992

  • Paul Alvarez
  • Jojo Lastimosa

1993

  • Bobby Jose
  • Jojo Lastimosa

1994

1995

1996

  • Johnny Abarrientos
  • Jeffrey Cariaso
  • Bong Hawkins
  • Jojo Lastimosa

1997

  • Johnny Abarrientos

1998

1999

  • Johnny Abarrientos

2000

2001

2003

2004

2005

2006

2007

  • Tony dela Cruz
  • Willie Miller
  • Sonny Thoss

2008

2009

2010

2011

  • Cyrus Baguio
  • Joe Devance
  • LA Tenorio
  • Sonny Thoss

2012

2013

2014

  • Calvin Abueva
  • Sonny Thoss

2015

2016

  • Calvin Abueva

2017

2018

  • Calvin Abueva
  • Carl Bryan Cruz (did not play)
  • Sonny Thoss

2019

Notable players

[edit]
Main article:Alaska Aces (PBA) all-time roster

Members of the PBA's 25 greatest players

[edit]
  • Johnny Abarrientos – "The Flying A" played for team from 1993 to 2000; led Alaska to numerous PBA titles and was the 1996 PBA Most Valuable Player
  • Bogs Adornado – played for Hills Bros. in the 1987 season; became the team's head coach after his retirement
  • Kenneth Duremdes – "Captain Marbel" played for the team from 1998 to 2003; led Alaska to four PBA titles and was the 1998 PBA Most Valuable Player
  • Abet Guidaben – played for the team from 1989 to 1990 before being traded to Pepsi for Harmon Codiñera.
  • Jojo Lastimosa – "The 4th Quarter Man" "Mr.Clutch" "The Helicopter" led Alaska to nine PBA titles and was named to numerous Mythical Team selections,10-time PBA All-Star,1988 PBA Rookie of the Year and 1996 PBA All Filipino Cup Finals MVP.

Alaska Aces 30 greatest players

[edit]

On November 12, 2015, the Alaska Aces celebrated its 30th anniversary.[11]

MVP awardee while still with the team

[edit]
  • Johnny Abarrientos – 1996
  • Kenneth Duremdes – 1998
  • Willie Miller – 2007

ROY awardee while still with the team

[edit]
  • Eugene Quilban – 1991
  • Jeffrey Cariaso – 1995
  • Calvin Abueva – 2013

Team captains

[edit]

Retired numbers

[edit]
Alaska Aces retired numbers
PlayerPositionTenure
6Jojo LastimosaG1991–2000
2002–2003[a]
7Sonny ThossC2004–2019[b]
14Johnny AbarrientosG1993–2001[c]
16Bong HawkinsF1993–2000
2005–2006[c]
20Sean ChambersF1990–2001[d]
22Jeffrey CariasoG1995–1997
2004–2010[e]
33William "Bogs" AdornadoG1987–1988[f]
Alaska Aces honored numbers
PlayerPositionTenure
30Eric MenkC2014 – 2016[g]
35Tony dela CruzF2005 – 2017[8]

Coaches

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^"Converge is newest PBA member after 11-0 board approval of Alaska sale".Spin.ph.
  2. ^Hsieh, Jeremy (September 12, 2013)."Why "Alaska" Means Milk And Basketball To Many Filipinos".Alaska Public Media. KTOO-Juneau. RetrievedFebruary 18, 2022.
  3. ^"New Faces in Play-for-Pay league".Archived from the original on August 4, 2017. RetrievedApril 4, 2018.
  4. ^"PBA: From milk to coffee, why Alaska at one point became known as Hills Bros".ABS-CBN News. February 17, 2022. RetrievedFebruary 17, 2022.
  5. ^"Hills Bros. Not crying over spilt milk".Manila Standard.
  6. ^"Ginebra tackles Great Taste".Manila Standard.
  7. ^"Miller wants out of Alaska; Purefoods, Coca-Cola interested".GMA News and Public Affairs. July 10, 2009.Archived from the original on July 11, 2015. RetrievedJuly 9, 2015.
  8. ^Atayde, Aaron."Five-Team Trade is Complete, LA Tenorio to Ginebra".www.slamonlineph.com. Slam Philippines.Archived from the original on September 1, 2017. RetrievedJuly 10, 2015.
  9. ^"ALASKA DEFENSE POWERS ACES TO 6–0 START IN PBA PHILIPPINE CUP".AlaskaAces.com.ph. AlaskaAces.com.ph. RetrievedJanuary 5, 2015.
  10. ^"ALASKA ACES DROP 78–85 DECISION TO BARAKO BULL".AlaskaAces.com.ph. AlaskaAces.com.ph.Archived from the original on January 6, 2015. RetrievedJanuary 5, 2015.
  11. ^abFernandez, Rhoel (November 12, 2015)."Alaska honors '30 greatest players' in franchise history to celebrate 30th year in PBA". Spin.ph.Archived from the original on November 17, 2015. RetrievedNovember 13, 2015.
  12. ^"Alaska trades Cyrus Baguio to Phoenix - FOX SPORTS". Archived fromthe original on September 17, 2016. RetrievedJuly 19, 2016.
  13. ^"Chris Banchero says signing new three-year deal with Alaska an easy decision".Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. RetrievedSeptember 17, 2016.
  14. ^"Alaska leaves nothing to chance, dumps NLEX to clinch quarterfinal berth".Archived from the original on September 17, 2016. RetrievedSeptember 17, 2016.
  15. ^Ramos, Gerry (February 18, 2017)."Alaska Aces send RJ Jazul to Phoenix Fuel Masters for Simon Enciso".Archived from the original on March 6, 2017. RetrievedMarch 6, 2017.
  16. ^Catacutan, Dodo (February 16, 2022)."Alaska to bid the PBA goodbye at the end of the conference".spin.ph. RetrievedFebruary 16, 2022.
  17. ^Micaller, Bea (March 19, 2022)."NLEX ends road for Alaska, arranges semis showdown vs Ginebra".GMA News. RetrievedMarch 20, 2022.
  18. ^Li, Matthew (March 19, 2022)."PBA presses final buzzer on Alaska".Tiebreaker Times. RetrievedMarch 20, 2022.
  19. ^ab"Five companies look to buy Alaska franchise says Willie Marcial".Dugout Philippines. March 18, 2022. RetrievedMarch 20, 2022.
  20. ^Joble, Rey (February 19, 2022)."Alaska is for sale but are there any takers?".The Manila Times. RetrievedMarch 20, 2022.
  21. ^Co, Chris (March 13, 2022)."Dennis A. Uy bibilhin ang Alaska franchise?".Pilipino Star Ngayon (in Filipino). The Philippine Star. RetrievedMarch 20, 2022.
  22. ^Ramos, Gerry (March 11, 2022)."Converge CEO Dennis Uy emerges as frontrunner in sale of Alaska's PBA franchise".Sports Interactive Network Philippines. RetrievedMarch 22, 2022.
  23. ^Dioquino, Delfin (April 5, 2022)."Converge determined as bar set high for FiberXers in PBA foray".Rappler Philippines. RetrievedApril 5, 2022.
  24. ^Terrado, Reuben (March 19, 2022)."Cariaso hopes Alaska core kept as company in 'deep talks' to buy franchise".Sports Interactive Network Philippines. RetrievedMarch 20, 2022.
  25. ^"Holy Cow: Alaska mascot hoping to join bonus trip to Disney to meet idol Mickey".Spin.ph. May 24, 2013.Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. RetrievedJuly 9, 2015.
  26. ^INQUIRER.net (January 22, 2017)."Aces boost playoff hopes, oust Floodbuster".Archived from the original on February 2, 2017. RetrievedJanuary 23, 2017.

External links

[edit]
Preceded by
(start)
PBA teams genealogies
1986−2022
Succeeded by
Awards and achievements
Preceded by PBA Third Conference Champions
1991
Succeeded by
Preceded byPBA Governors Cup Champions
1994–1997
Succeeded by
Preceded byPBA All-Filipino Cup Champions
1996
1998
2000
Succeeded by
Preceded byPBA Commissioner's Cup Champions
1996
1998
2013
Succeeded by
Preceded byGrand Slam winners
1996
Succeeded by
Preceded by PBA Invitational Conference Champions
2003
Succeeded by
(last)
Preceded byPBA Fiesta Conference Champions
2007
2010
Succeeded by
  • Founded in 1986
  • Disbanded in 2022
  • Owned byAlaska Milk Corporation
  • Formerly known as Alaska Milkmen, Alaska Air Force and Hills Bros. Coffee Kings
Franchise
Administration
Head coaches
Retired numbers
Championships
(14)
Runner-up finishes
(17)
Culture and lore
Seasons (35)
1980s
1990s
2000s
2010s
2020s
Championship Navigation Boxes
  • 1 Known as Shopinas.com from 2011 to 2012
  • 2 Known as Hills Bros. in 1987
  • 3 Known as FedEx / Air21 from 2002 to 2011
  • 4 Known as Red Bull from 2000 to 2009
  • 5 Known as GlobalPort from 2012 to 2018
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Alaska_Aces_(PBA)&oldid=1319057262"
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