ALAS BATTLELINES DRAWN
Tuesday’s game between Talk ‘N Text and Alaska posed another storyline when this year’s second overall draft pick Kevin Alas played his first game against his father Louie, who is the lead assistant coach on the Aces bench.
The father-and-son tandem has been inseparable since the elder Alas took over the Letran coaching reins in the NCAA. There, Kevin bloomed as one of the most promising young guards in the collegiate ranks and even earned a spot on the Gilas cadet squad.
Coming into this game, Kevin said that his father didn’t talk to him, with the battlelines already drawn in the Alas household.
But he understands the setup, and the TNT rookie has downplayed the event as an ordinary eliminations game.
“Wala naman. Tinetake ko lang ‘to as a regular game,” he said.
For the patriarch, coach Louie also admitted that he faced a conundrum in this game, saying, “Mixed eh. Gusto kong maganda ang laruin nya pero gusto kong manalo kami.”
Fortunately for coach Louie, his wishes came true, as Alaska won the game, 100-98, and Kevin played well with his career-high 15 points.
After the game, it was a happy sight for the Alas family as Kevin and coach Louie finally talked to each other.
Off to dinner, coach Louie said with a smile, “Ako ang taya ngayon. Ako panalo eh.” (RL)
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