HOTSHOTS START QUEST FOR 5TH STRAIGHT TITLE VS ACES
Forget the name change. This team is the same winning mix that has strung up four straight crowns and is looking well capable of extending its mighty reign.
The Purefoods Star Hotshots, the four-peat winner under the San Mig Coffee banner, tangle with the Alaska Aces to start their campaign in the 2015 PBA Philippine Cup at 7 p.m. Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With their name change comes a new mindset of being “growth-oriented” more than “goal-oriented.”
Coach Tim Cone explained that they want each member of the team to improve, hoping that wins come along.
“What we promise is that we’ll tap the talent of each player and make them play to the best of their abilities,” said Rene Pardo, Purefoods’ representative to the PBA Board.
Purefoods has kept intact the San Mig Coffee roster that won the last Governors’ Cup, stretching its reign to four conferences and completing only the fifth grand slam ever achieved in the league.
However, the Hotshots will be playing sans Marc Pingris until Oct. 31 when they take on the GlobalPort Batang Pier at the Big Dome. Pingris gets more rest after sacrificing his offseason to serve the national team in the FIBA World Cup and in the Asian Games.
For their debut, the Hotshots battle the Alaska Aces who are eager to come out and surprise everyone after bolstering weak spots in their roster and training mostly in closed doors in the offseason.
Narrowly missing the Governors’ Cup Finals, the Aces hope to build on that strong finish and contend for the crown in their second conference under coach Alex Compton.
“The season break helped us make the necessary adjustments in the new system put in place by Alex (Compton),” said team manager Dickie Bachmann, pointing out that they have abandoned the “triangle offense” of former coach Tim Cone.
They purposely played few pre-season matches in an effort to hide their new plays and patterns. And in those few games, they came through with a winning record.
Bachmann said their new system is more of a run-and-gun game where guys like Cyrus Baguio, Calvin Abueva and even rookie Rome de la Rosa are likely to thrive.
The Alaska official is very much impressed with De la Rosa, son of former Shell and Sta. Lucia player Romy.
Bachmann is also surprised by free agent acquisition Eric Menk. “At 40, he’s keeping up with the young guys. He can run up and down,” said Bachmann of Menk whom they signed up to fill in for the injury-hit Gabby Espinas.
Compton kept the old Alaska nucleus of Baguio, Abueva, Sonny Thoss, Jvee Casio, Dondon Hontiveros, Vic Manuel, RJ Jazul and Tony de la Cruz and added an important piece in rookie guard Chris Banchero. (SB)
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