FROM its great era in the 90s, the Alaska Milk ball club had not lulled into a championship drought of over two seasons until the long lonely dry spell the Aces are in now.
Thus the craving, itching and great resolve the Aces feel right now.
To honor the long line of Alaska heroes in the past and join their ranks as champs, Alaska's current crop aches to rise and break the team's slump since its last championship back in the 2013 Commissioner's Cup.
"We want to bring back the glory days of Alaska," said Jeron Teng.
"We all know how great Alaska a team is, with its great winning tradition. Kaya lang our current team has yet to produce one," Teng added.
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Only Sonny Thoss and Jvee Casio are left from the last Alaska champion team. In the current Alaska lineup, only Noy Baclao (with Petron) and Maverick Ahanmisi (with Rain or Shine) have experienced winning a PBA crown.
The winningest individual in the current Alaska fold is their coach, Jeffrey Cariaso, who's hoping his winning ways as a player can help get the Aces back on mountaintop.
"We're really on the right path on how we're doing things because of the fact that our guys are understanding what needs to be done," said Cariaso, the league Rookie of the Year prior to Alaska's 1996 grand slam run.
A replacement to Alex Compton before the Governors Cup last season, Cariaso has a group of young guns at his disposal.
The season's indefinite suspension could be a blessing for them, with several new recruits blending with the old hands.
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Vic Manuel, Kevin Racal, Teng, Casio and Thoss are mainstays guiding transferees Abu Tratter, Mike Digregorio, Rodney Brondial, Robert Herndon and Ahanmisi. (SB)
