Alaska on top of the standings

On 09 April 2013, Araw ng Kagitingan (Day of Valor), which is the day to honor the brave and the bold, I was fortunate to learn that the PBA Commissioner’s Cup-leading Alaska Aces were having a practice session in Taguig. Rather than spend the holiday just lazing around, I got myself into my car in the scorching summer heat and headed to what I anticipated to be an intense, no-nonsense exhibition of basketball drills and skills.

When I arrived a bit late, Alaska coaches and players were gathered on one side of the court, whiteboard in front of them, as Assistant Coach Alex Compton diagrammed a few plays. On the other side were the sons of Coach Luigi Trillo and Assistant Coach Louie Alas, who were enjoying each other’s company engrossed in a game on an iPad. Also present was long-time basketball courtside reporter, Rizza Diaz, who was scheduled to make her debut as a PBA courtside reporter the day after, as the Aces faced Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

We sat silently (not the two little boys, who were constantly asked to keep quiet by the team trainers and utility men), and watched as Coach Luigi occasionally spoke to stress a point, and players would every so often ask questions or interject some ideas. After about half an hour, the huddle broke out into three groups of players, two assigned to shoot baskets, one at each hoop, while the third did stretching and warm-up exercises at center court. Coach Luigi and his assistants were actively involved in the shooting drills, counting how many shots would find their mark, and passing basketballs back to the players. After a few minutes, the groups changed positions, with each getting a chance at each “work station.”

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Then the groups went for some halfcourt sets, all while Coach Luigi kept explaining the tendencies of their next opponent, Ginebra. He reminded them about adjusting to what Ginebra likes to do, with big man Sam Eman posting up and taking hook shots ala Vernon Macklin, the Ginebra import. Again and again, the ball was brought out beyond the three point line, and the players would move around, jostle for an advantage against each other. Sure, there were some smiles, some laughter from to time, but one could feel the Aces meant business, they were listening, they were concentrating.

Then the groups went at it two at a time in fullcourt battles, end-to-end. The Aces were running at full speed, setting picks, boxing each other out intensely. There was a “shotclock” (one trainer was counting), and there was a “referee”, who constantly heard complaints from the players who felt he was not making the right calls, even as Coach Louie Alas, who sat with me and Rizza, reminded the players to be patient because there was only one referee, who could not possibly spot all the contact, especially at the breakneck speed they were pushing the ball.

It was during this last exercise that I saw how decided the Aces are these days to replicate the glory of Alaska teams past. We have all seen how they win on the court – they play great team ball, they do not care who puts up the big numbers every game, as long as the result is a victory. Looking at their game-to-game statistics, the only constant has been import Robert Dozier’s imposing numbers. At the time this practice was held, he had led them in scoring in eleven of twelve games, and in rebounding in all. In every game, there was always a different Alaska Ace who stepped up in scoring, rebounding, or in some other important statistic, particularly in their wins. You can look it up. They had different heroes almost every game.

After a couple of hours, they were finally done. I took the chance to approach some of the players and chat for a while. Many of them continued shooting, working on some moves in the post and playing isolated one-on-one. I bantered with Coach Luigi about how lucky his team was to get such an efficient import who has stuck from the beginning, and he fully agreed. He also expressed his satisfaction with his team’s performance on the court, but related how they have a tendency to “ease up” during practice, especially the day before a game, which entails his having to remind them to go at full speed all the time, to never let up, to always strive for excellence. I thanked him for allowing me to sit in, and ended with joking him that his players are making him look good. He smiled as Rizza sat down to interview him in preparation for the Ginebra game.

Come the next evening, the Ginebra Kings were bent on spoiling any strategy the Aces had come up with in the practice I attended the day before. One run, however, deep in the fourth quarter created distance and, at the end, Alaska had pulled out yet another victory, solidifying further its hold on the top spot, with only cellar dweller GlobalPort left on its elimination round schedule.

Alaska has won games in many different fashions this conference. Its first few games were close wins. It has won nailbiters, won convincingly, blown out some teams, and it has come from (way) behind to snatch victory at the end more than once. It has not beaten San Mig Coffee (coached by former mentor Tim Cone) in two games, though, but for the most part, the Aces have exhibited grace under pressure and confidence unmatched by any other team so far this conference. They just always believe they have a chance to win, and they support that belief with pinpoint execution.

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This group of Aces has come quite a long way from its position at this time last season. Coaching changes, player transactions, and injuries contributed to a fairly forgettable campaign last year. Since making the playoffs of the First Conference and giving eventual champion Talk ‘N Text all it could take in a tough six-game semis series, Alaska has taken on a new character. Its present record speaks for itself.

Well, come to think of it, this is really not a new character for the franchise. Winning was something Alaska had grown accustomed to, being one of the few Grand Slam winners in PBA history and a contender almost every conference. There have been a few hitches on the road in the past couple of years (Alaska last won the 2010 Fiesta Conference), but things are looking good nowadays for Coach Luigi and his Aces. Despite the marked improvement, though, they are not content, as their eyes are on the championship.

Alaska seems willing to take on all comers. How long can they ride this wave?

You can follow Charlie on Twitter @CharlieC.

Editor's note: The blogger's views do not represent Yahoo! Southeast Asia's position on the topic or issue being discussed in this post.