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Aces try to keep record clean
By: Zean Macamay, Journal Online
HIS face still red and awash in sweat, Tim Cone puffed out a relieving ‘whew!’ even before he could pull a chair and
describe Alaska’s victory against Sta. Lucia Realty Wednesday night.
He talked about the big plays the Aces were able to execute down the stretch, the big shots Joe DeVance hit, the leadership
of Wil-lie Miller, and their undefeated record that now stands at 5-0 (win-loss).
A few moments afterwards, he discussed about Burger King, the team Alaska faces next and the ball club he described as
fearful, maybe even more than tougher the others.
Looks like Cone would again heave another ‘whew!’ if he gets past the Whoppers.
“San Miguel and Talk ‘N Text are scary teams, but sometimes, I prefer playing them rather than Burger King,” said Cone.
“They’re (Whoppers) tough and they’ll get into your skin. So if you play cool against them, they’ll come after you.”
Alaska only gets a day’s preparation before it clashes with Yeng Guiao and his Whoppers, but at the way the Aces have
been playing these days, they’re still the overwhelming picks to win and notch their sixth straight victory in the KFC-PBA
Philippine Cup today at the Cuneta Astrodome.
The Aces won’t pull the victory off by banging bodies with the Whoppers. As Cone had said, they play an entirely different
system to the Whoppers.
“It’s really going to be a tough game for us,” said Cone. “They play hard, they play physical, they’re a blue-collar team with no
superstars but all of them work so hard. We’re not a team of great athletes, we’re cerebral.”
Ironically, the team Alaska beat only two days ago was the one that dealt Burger King its last defeat. Sta. Lucia, getting a big
game from reserve Joshua Urbiztondo, whipped the Whoppers 101-93 last Oct. 30.
But of course, this doesn’t mean anything now to the Aces. They know very well what Burger can do.
“We played Burger King in a practice game (before the season) and they led us by 24 points in the third quarter,” said Cone.
“They will really give us problems.”
Cone, though, forgot to reveal that final outcome of that tune-up match. Yet it was enough for the league’s winningest coach
in terms of games won to have respect for a team that thrives on wearing down the enemy on transition.
The Whoppers only have a victory through four games in the tournament, a come-from-behind 91-89 win over Rain or Shine
last Oct. 24 in a Phoenix Fuel-supported road game in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.
Getting its second win surely will be tough for Guiao and the Whoppers, more so if they do not find a way to contain their
turnovers.
In their game against the Realtors, they committed 28 errors, six coming from Gary David and five each from Ronjay
Buenafe and Richard Yee that put to waste the 29 points the Whoppers converted on transition.
Guiao, however, is hoping highly that the law of averages catches up on the Aces.
“One of these days, they (Aces) will have a bad night,” said Guiao. “I hope it will be tomorrow (today). We’ve done our
homework, and I hope we’ve done enough.”
Yet even if Alaska remains undefeated, Cone thinks they still have one major flaw that needs to be addressed.
“Giving up 39 free throws is not going to get it done in the future,” said Cone in their game against the Realtors. “We need to
get better containing out front.”
Like Cone, coach Jong Uichico won’t feel any sense of leisure at all when his Ginebra goes for its third win in four games
against Barako Bull.
“We are not in a position to take things lightly,” said Uichico.
By: Zean Macamay, Journal Online
HIS face still red and awash in sweat, Tim Cone puffed out a relieving ‘whew!’ even before he could pull a chair and
describe Alaska’s victory against Sta. Lucia Realty Wednesday night.
He talked about the big plays the Aces were able to execute down the stretch, the big shots Joe DeVance hit, the leadership
of Wil-lie Miller, and their undefeated record that now stands at 5-0 (win-loss).
A few moments afterwards, he discussed about Burger King, the team Alaska faces next and the ball club he described as
fearful, maybe even more than tougher the others.
Looks like Cone would again heave another ‘whew!’ if he gets past the Whoppers.
“San Miguel and Talk ‘N Text are scary teams, but sometimes, I prefer playing them rather than Burger King,” said Cone.
“They’re (Whoppers) tough and they’ll get into your skin. So if you play cool against them, they’ll come after you.”
Alaska only gets a day’s preparation before it clashes with Yeng Guiao and his Whoppers, but at the way the Aces have
been playing these days, they’re still the overwhelming picks to win and notch their sixth straight victory in the KFC-PBA
Philippine Cup today at the Cuneta Astrodome.
The Aces won’t pull the victory off by banging bodies with the Whoppers. As Cone had said, they play an entirely different
system to the Whoppers.
“It’s really going to be a tough game for us,” said Cone. “They play hard, they play physical, they’re a blue-collar team with no
superstars but all of them work so hard. We’re not a team of great athletes, we’re cerebral.”
Ironically, the team Alaska beat only two days ago was the one that dealt Burger King its last defeat. Sta. Lucia, getting a big
game from reserve Joshua Urbiztondo, whipped the Whoppers 101-93 last Oct. 30.
But of course, this doesn’t mean anything now to the Aces. They know very well what Burger can do.
“We played Burger King in a practice game (before the season) and they led us by 24 points in the third quarter,” said Cone.
“They will really give us problems.”
Cone, though, forgot to reveal that final outcome of that tune-up match. Yet it was enough for the league’s winningest coach
in terms of games won to have respect for a team that thrives on wearing down the enemy on transition.
The Whoppers only have a victory through four games in the tournament, a come-from-behind 91-89 win over Rain or Shine
last Oct. 24 in a Phoenix Fuel-supported road game in Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental.
Getting its second win surely will be tough for Guiao and the Whoppers, more so if they do not find a way to contain their
turnovers.
In their game against the Realtors, they committed 28 errors, six coming from Gary David and five each from Ronjay
Buenafe and Richard Yee that put to waste the 29 points the Whoppers converted on transition.
Guiao, however, is hoping highly that the law of averages catches up on the Aces.
“One of these days, they (Aces) will have a bad night,” said Guiao. “I hope it will be tomorrow (today). We’ve done our
homework, and I hope we’ve done enough.”
Yet even if Alaska remains undefeated, Cone thinks they still have one major flaw that needs to be addressed.
“Giving up 39 free throws is not going to get it done in the future,” said Cone in their game against the Realtors. “We need to
get better containing out front.”
Like Cone, coach Jong Uichico won’t feel any sense of leisure at all when his Ginebra goes for its third win in four games
against Barako Bull.
“We are not in a position to take things lightly,” said Uichico.