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MANILA, Philippines – The Alaska Aces have agreed to contract extensions with veteran guard Dondon Hontiveros and big man Noy Baclao, Rappler learned on Wednesday, August 5.
According to Alaska team manager Richard Bachmann, Hontiveros and Baclao are returning to the team on one-year contracts. The other significants of the deals were not disclosed.
“We are happy. He’s part of our core. He’s actually one of our leaders, so we’re happy to have him back,” Bachmann said about Hontiveros, who averaged 7.6 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 1.2 assists a game last season with Alaska while shooting 34% from downtown.
The 38-year-old Hontiveros, along with teammates Calvin Abueva and Sonny Thoss, is currently practicing with the Philippine national basketball team as the trio is part of Head Coach Tab Baldwin’s pool in preparation for the 2015 FIBA Asia Championship.
“Noy played well for us last conference,” said Bachmann,”so we extended him.”
Baclao, 28, is a former number one overall pick in the PBA Draft in 2010.
He averaged just 2 points and 2.9 rebounds a contest last season, but had a memorable performance against the Star Hotshots in the Governors’ Cup semifinals, where he finished with 10 points and 6 rebounds in Game 2 to help the Aces advance.
Bachmann’s job, however, is far from over as 7 Aces players whose contracts expired remain unextended. Both the team manager and Alaska head coach Alex Compton have said that they want the team’s core to remain in tact heading into next season.
The Aces made the finals in both the Philippine and Governors’ Cup last season, losing both times to the San Miguel Beermen.
“Yeah, our plan is to bring them back,” said Bachmann. As of the moment, the team is negotiating for new contracts with Vic Manuel, Ping Exciminiano, Chris Banchero, Eric Menk, RJ Jazul, Josh Vanlandingham, and Paolo Bugia.
Banchero, 26, averaged 7 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 2.2 assists a game in his rookie campaign last season, and was nominated for the Rookie of the Year award won by Stanley Pringle of GlobalPort.
Manuel, 28, put up 8.6 points and 4.6 rebounds a game last season, and was nominated for the league’s Most Improved Player of the Year award won by Terrence Romeo of GlobalPort.
“We have plans of bringing them back,” Bachmann said of the players.
“We’ve been talking to their agents… negotiations are going on.”
When asked if Bachmann expects Hontiveros to continue playing after the upcoming PBA season, the team manager is confident that he will.
“Dondon takes care of himself. He’s the last guy to leave the gym. He’s a gym rat. I think he’s fit to play.”
Bachmann also said he expects Hontiveros to be in an Alaska uniform even after next season. – Rappler.com
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