LOUIE Alas just proved himself to be a real pro with the way he accepted his fate of losing his job as head coach of the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters.
He's yielding the rein a month before the end of his three-year contract with the ball club which is still in search of a breakthrough win since joining the league in 2015.
On Friday, the Phoenix management announced they're "discontinuing" the tenure of Alas and moving forward with Topex Robinson calling the shots on an interim capacity.
The Fuel Masters actually have had improvements under Alas - a ride that saw them top the Philippine Cup elimination round last season.
And with that, Alas gained the honor of becoming an All-Star coach, slugging it out with fellow rookie All-Star coach Caloy Garcia in the 2019 edition of the midseason spectacle in Calasiao, Pangasinan.
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Already a veteran coach from his days with Letran in the NCAA, the Manila Metro Stars in the MPBL, Toyota Balintawak in the PABL and Harbour Centre in the ABL, Alas knows so well it's the management's prerogative to hire and fire a coach.
And so he's only grateful on the opportunity given him to handle the Phoenix ball club.
"Coaching the Phoenix Fuel Masters the past three years has been a great honor and privilege to me, and I thank the entire management, headed by Boss Dennis A. Uy for giving me all the support during my tenure," Alas said on social media.
"I have great respect for all the players I have coached, and I also want to thank all the coaches I have worked with - who poured out their hearts and their efforts to the goal we envisioned to attain," he added.
"Last, but not the least, I want to thank the Phoenix Fuel Masters community for being so welcoming to me during my time here. I wish Coach Topex and the entire team nothing but the best in their future endeavors."
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He's had his basketball championships, but it's been elusive to Alas in the PBA where he had had a previous head-coaching stint with Talk N Text.
But at 56, Alas is surely not yet done with basketball. (SB)
