



Aces seek no. 9
By: Gerry N. Ramos, Journal Online
AS Alaska goes up against lowly Barako Bull in Sunday’s main game of the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup, coach Tim Cone has
three important words for reminders to his league-leading Aces.
“We’ve got three words for our players,” Cone bared. “Rain or Shine.”
Although it has been two weeks now since their 81-86 loss to the Elasto Painters, the Aces, apparently, haven’t forgotten the
experience yet.
The setback afterall, has been the only blot in Alaska’s near perfect 8-1 card.
“We have proven that we can beat anyone on any given night, but that Rain or Shine game proved to us that we can also
lose to anyone on any given night,” Cone reasoned out.
“Forewarned is forearmed.”
So going to their 6:30 p.m. encounter with the Energy Boosters at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig, Cone expects his team
to play with a lot of urgency.
“Hopefully that lesson is burned deeply into our collective consciousness. We will be ready for Barako Bull’s challenge,” he
said.
Barako Bull indeed, is no pushover, as it has two wins to show in nine outings, victories over the Coca-Cola Tigers (81-73)
and the Elasto Painters themselves (89-81).
Even so, the Energy Boosters almost pulled off the rug from under the Sta. Lucia Realtors the last time, stretching their
opponents all the way to overtime period before losing steam, 77-80.
In the day’s other game, second-running San Miguel takes on skidding Burger King at 4 p.m.
After an 0-2 start, the Beermen have turned their fortunes around, stringing in seven successive wins to stalk Alaska at solo
second place (7-2).
The latest of those victories came in Cebu City last week via a 107-84 thumping of the Tigers.
Dondon Hontiveros topscored for the Beermen with 17 points and became the 60th member of the elite 5,000-point club.
The Whoppers on the other hand, are coming off a heartbreaking 105-118 setback at the hands of the Talk ‘N Text Tropang
Texters in a game where they led by as many 30 points only to lose steam in the end.