MANILA, Philippines – A new year signals a new hope for the Alaska Aces.

2017 had been a tough year for the Aces. For a team known for winning, 14 PBA championships at that, having a losing season was a tough pill to swallow.

The Aces finished the PBA All-Filipino Cup at second place but immediately crashed out of the quarterfinals at the hands of Barangay Ginebra, squandering a twice-to-beat advantage.

Come the Commissioner’s Cup, Alaska looked like a team looking for redemption by pocketing all of its first 4 games. However, winning stopped from there as the Aces lost 14 straight games up to the Governors’ Cup, where they finished at 9th place for two straight conferences.

Add back-to-back losses this 43rd season to end the year and it becomes harder to bear.

“Para sa amin naman, hindi maganda ang 2017 as a team. Mayroon talaga kaming dinaanang mahirap na mga pagsubok, mahirap na hindi ko isheshare sa inyo (na) para sa aming pamilya lang yan,” said Compton.

(2017 was not a good year for us as a team. We underwent difficult challenges that I will not share with you because it is only within our family.)

But with 2018 indicating a fresh start for the Aces, head coach Alex Compton is sticking to the positives of what the new year will bring.

After suffering a 13-point beating from the Magnolia Hotshots in their season opener, the Aces are slowly looking like a team ready to compete, falling short of a comeback against the TNT KaTropa, 106-98, last December 29.

Although winless in two games, Compton said that they will be leaving what had happened in the past year and move forward into becoming a better team.

“Sabi ko nga sa kanila, mag-enjoy kayo sa New Year, mag-celebrate kayo sa New Year sa inyong mga pamilya tapos flush na natin lahat yan down the toilet kasi 2018 has new hope and we’re working and we’re going to come back.”

(I told them to enjoy the New Year and celebrate it with their families. After that, we will flush everything down the toilet since 2018 offers a new hope and we’re working and we’re going to come back.)

The Aces will face the Meralco Bolts next on January 10 at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com