SUMMARY
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MANILA, Philippines – A new Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) season kicks off on Sunday, November 17. Anticipation is high especially with the influx of young talent that came via the PBA draft.
Who are the teams and players to watch out for? Rappler gives you a preview of each team and how we expect them to fare in the All-Filipino Conference.
ALASKA ACES
Philippine Cup recap
The Alaska Aces finished with an 8-6 slate in the elimination phase, good enough for 5th seed. They swept the Meralco Bolts, 2-0 before engaging in a tight battle with eventual champions Talk n’ Text Tropang Texters in the semifinals. They were able to tie the series at 2 games apiece, but the Texters’ championship experience was too much to overcome as they lost, 2-4.
Projected starters
Sonny Thoss
Gabby Espinas
Calvin Abueva
Cyrus Baguio
JVee Casio
Bench
Samigue Eman
Tony Dela Cruz
Dondon Hontiveros
RJ Jazul
Ryan Buenafe
Aldrech Ramos
Ping Exciminiano
Leo Avenido
Eddie Laure
Paolo Bugia
Raphy Reyes
Coaching staff
Head coach: Luigi Trillo
Assistants: Topex Robinson, Alex Compton, Louie Alas
Strengths
The Aces have lots of firepower in JVee Casio, RJ Jazul, Dondon Hontiveros, Cyrus Baguio, and new recruit Leo Avenido. Sonny Thoss remains one of the finest big men in the league. Remember how he contained imports Vernon Macklin and Denzel Bowles during the Commissioner’s Cup? He showed how capable he is of defending bigger players. Rookie of the Year Calvin Abueva is another weapon that gives Alaska an extra edge on both ends of the floor.
Weaknesses
The Aces don’t have much power forwards in their lineup. While bench depth wouldn’t be much of an issue, nobody will be strong enough to backup Sonny Thoss and Gabby Espinas up front. Thoss averaged over 30 minutes a game last year, so Alaska will have to find a reliever for Thoss.
X-Factor
Ryan Buenafe is a unique fit to any roster. He is blessed with superior basketball IQ but with the weight of a center. If he commits to shedding some pounds, he can be an impact player that could help the Aces go a long way this season.
Will Thoss, Abueva, and Casio team up to bring the title home?
These 3 players are easily the best Aces in their respective positions. Thoss will be the focal point in the interior, Casio brings his outside sniping and playmaking skills, and Abueva bolsters Alaska’s drive with his energy, hustle, and attitude. In the last Philippine Cup, the trio combined for 37.5 PPG, more than a third of the Aces’ output.
Philippine Cup forecast
Alaska will end up as a higher-seeded team at the end of the eliminations. The Aces’ roster depth gives them a strong chance of advancing to the Finals. – Rappler.com
Check out other team previews:
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