Life goes on

Front and center: The Beast
(Photo credit: PBA.Inquirer.net)

Proving to one and all that there is more to life than being sweeped in a Finals and historically overturned in the next, the Alaska Aces are back in the hunt this PBA Commissioner's Cup with a 6 wins and 3 losses record. The Aces even has a chance to make the top spot, if they can salvage their last two games versus the league-leading Meralco Bolts and NLEX Road Warriors.

Leading the charge is import Shane Edwards (37mp 23ppg 13rpg 3apg) who appears to be here to stay after replacing Rob Dozier, Jr. early this conference. He is followed by Calvin Abueva (27mpg 17ppg 8rpg 3apg), Vic Manuel (22mpg 14ppg 5rpg 1apg), Sonny Thoss (24mpg 10ppg 4rpg), Chris Banchero (26mpg 9ppg 3rpg 4apg) and RJ Jazul (24mpg 10ppg). Save for old hand Thoss, the Aces are going with a new approach it seems as we no longer see heavy minutes given to the likes of Cyrus Baguio, Tony dela Cruz and Dondon Hontiveros. Starting point guard JVee Casio is still on the sidelines nursing an injury, if we remember correctly.

Now here is the question in everyone's minds: do the Aces have enough to challenge their grandslam-seeking tormentors, the San Miguel Beermen?

Well, if the Finals started today (and with all due respect to Meralco), we would say yes.

The Aces' younger approach is working. They are playing their usual, controlled-aggressive style while Abueva, Manuel and Banchero have emerged as the clear cut new "Big 3" after the "Casio-Baguio-Thoss Era."

The Beermen on the other hand, are dealing with some nagging injuries specially to their 2x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo. Their import, Tyler Wilkerson, is a threat offensively but nothing Edwards cannot negate. Even if the Beermen went with Yancy de Ocampo, because of the presence of Edwards, the Aces can slide Thoss at the 4 spot and go about with their business as Abueva is starting to look more and more comfortable as a PBA 2 or 3 guy.

Which is probably the biggest change that everyone's been asking for: for Coach Alex Compton to start building around Abueva instead of sans him. To bend the "we not me" mantra a bit, if only to allow Abueva to facilitate and control games. It is not an easy decision to make, since Abueva has a tendency to either look like a bonafide PBA superstar one game and an out of control punk the other. But, credit goes to him and the Aces' bench this season. Abueva's been on his best behavior so far, and the results are undeniable.

Now if we were to talk Meralco versus Alaska in the Finals, that would be pretty interesting since both teams have that same helter-skelter "college basketball" feel to them. Abueva versus Newsome. Manuel versus Hodge. Compton versus Black and former Aces coach Luigi Trillo. Fireworks.

Okay, back to reality.

It was very easy for the Aces to simply fold this conference and just call it a day. After that heart-breaking and embarassing loss, we were openly asking for a shake-up be it in philosophy or personnel. Turns out, the Aces didn't really need a lot of pushing, prodding or motivation.

Life goes on for the Aces, and they are hungry for #15.