The Best Trades in Alaska History

Last Friday, the Alaska Aces completed a trade that sent LA Tenorio, the man who had been the face of the franchise, to Ginebra San Miguel, in a five-team deal that netted them JVee Casio and Dondon Hontiveros. It was a risky trade, to be sure; Alaska team manager Joaqui Trillo called it a “leap of faith.”

But the Aces franchise is no stranger to making bold, risky moves that involve big names. For example, in 1992, the team sent reigning Rookie of the Year Eugene Quilban to 7-Up in exchange for backup point guard Jun Reyes.

In 2001, Alaska traded Johnny Abarrientos, perhaps the greatest player in franchise history, along with Poch Juinio to Pop Cola for Ali Peek and Jon Ordonio. Two years later, the squad completed a draft-day deal that sent another former Most Valuable Player, Kenneth Duremdes, to Sta. Lucia for the fifth overall pick, which the Aces used on Brandon Cablay.

But more often than not Alaska comes out on the winning end of big trades. In this latest installment of The List, we count down the best trades — or as we like to call them, the Wacky Moves, in honor of longtime Alaska team manager Joaqui Trillo — in the history of the Aces franchise.

10. Acquired Rodney Santos and Bryant Punzalan from Purefoods for Cris Bolado (1997)
After winning the Grand Slam in 1996, members of Alaska were hot commodities around the league. Jeffrey Cariaso signed an offer sheet with the rebuilding Mobiline squad, while bench players also received interest from other teams.

Backup center Cris Bolado was coveted by Purefoods, and the two teams agreed on a deal that sent Jumbo to the Corned Beef Cowboys in exchange for Rodney Santos and Bryant Punzalan.

While Bolado helped Purefoods to the 1997 All-Filipino Conference title, where he cemented his lucky charm reputation, Santos ended up as a valuable contributor for Alaska in the long run, backing up both guard positions and helping make up for the absence of Cariaso until the arrival of Kenneth Duremdes later in the season.

-Rey Joble, InterAKTV

Alaska Aces , Bong Hawkins , Cyrus Baguio , Don Allado , Jeffrey Cariaso , Joe devance , Kenneth Duremdes , LA Tenorio , Larry Fonacier , Mike Cortez , PBA , Rodney Santos , The List , Willie Miller

Eric Menk reserved in Ginebra

Eric Menk will remain with Ginebra San Miguel — at least until after the upcoming Philippine Cup.
The 2004 PBA Most Valuable Player came to terms with management, according to his new agent Shery; Reyes. He will begin the year in the reserve list for Ginebra in the PBA before transferring to the ASEAN Basketball League.

“He will be reserved in the all-Filipino, then he will go straight to the ABL afterwards to play for the San Miguel Beermen,” said Reyes.

Both Ginebra and San Miguel are owned by san Miguel Corporation.

Earlier, Ginebra offered Menk to be a part-time player and a skills coach. But Menk, who wants to play two more years of competitive basketball, rejected the initial offer.

Menk, who recently turned 38, played in just seven games for Ginebra last season because of injuries. He averages career lows in minutes (8.9) and scoring (1.7).

-Rey Joble, InterAKTV

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings , Eric Menk , PBA

Barako Bull trade wish list: Maliksi, Baguio and Yeo

Barako Bull lost its second leading local scorer and crunch time closer when it traded Willie Miller as part of a monster five-team deal completed last Friday.
Coach Junel Baculi makes it no secret that his team are looking at trade options to fill Miller’s big shoes.
Barako Bull coaching staff has crafted a wish list composed of high-flying, talented wingmen: Allein Maliksi of Ginebra San Miguel, Cyrus Baguio of Alaska and Joseph Yeo of Petron Blaze.
“Hindi naman masama mag-wish di ba? Wish list lang naman yan so we have included these names on our list,” Baculi told InterAKTV in a telephone interview.
Of the three, acquiring Baguio appears to be a long shot.
“Malamang hindi bitawan ng Alaska yan,” said Baculi.
The other two players, however, could be available with the right offer.
Maliksi, who began his career with Barako Bull last season, plays the No. 3 spot for Ginebra, sharing the same position with Dylan Ababou, Elmer Espiritu, and Filipino-American rookie Chris Ellis.
Yeo, on the other hand, is part of a congested swing rotation for Petron, which also includes former SMART-Gilas Pilipinas standouts Chris Lutz and Marcio Lassiter, rookie Alex Mallari, Joseph Yeo, and Wesley Gonzales.
Baculi said he will leave the wheeling and dealing of players to Barako Bull management.
“We’ve already told them what we need. We need someone who can replace Miller because he’s a big part of our squad. We need a closer and a scoring big guard,” he said.

-Rey Joble, InterAKTV

Allein Maliksi , Barako Bull , Cyrus Baguio , Joseph Yeo , PBA

Ex-Ginebra fans Heart Broker, Tenorio hopes to bring joy to the Barangay

LA Tenorio has broken the hearts of Ginebra fans numerous times.

In one memorable game last season, he scored seven points in 20 seconds, capped by the game-winning three-pointer, to lead Alaska to an out-of-town victory over Ginebra, a defeat that remains fresh in the minds of the team’s fans.

“Yun nga ang parating sinasabi ng mga tao, marami raw akong pinaiyak na Ginebra fans before,” Tenorio told InterAKTV in a telephone interview. “Pero magkakampi na kami ngayon. It’s a good thing they will cheer for me now.”

Tenorio was the centerpiece of the five-team monster trade completed last Friday that sent him to Ginebra. The 5-foot-8 guard, who is coming off a sensational performance to win Most Valuable Player honors in the 34th William Jones Cup, has been welcomed as a new hero by Ginebra fans.

But he said the never-say-die faithful should manage their expectations.

“Hindi dahil nasa Ginebra na ako, ibig sabihin mananalo na kami ng championship,” said Tenorio, who begins practice with his new team on Monday. “Hindi magic ‘yan. Kailangang paghirapan yan.”

The cool and calculating guard knows he has to make adjustments as well in his transfer to the Gin Kings.

“Panibagong pakikisama ito. Dati kasi I felt at home with Alaska. Now, I’m going to start a new chapter in the Ginebra family,” said Tenorio.

“Still, I hope this will be my final stop. Ayaw ko na rin yung palipat-lipat. As much as possible nga, gusto ko dito na ako magretiro.”

Strong tradition

Tenorio joins a Ginebra franchise that enjoys a strong point guard tradition, beginning with Robert Jaworski and carried on by Bal David and Jayjay Helterbrand. Tenorio would be the latest to assume that mantle.

But Tenorio doesn’t want to make a big fuss about the history of the position.

“I don’t want to put pressure on myself. Those guys are great guards, mahirap pantayan yan,” said Tenorio. “I know na yung papel ko rito sa Ginebra will be different from the one I used to do in Alaska. So kung saan tayo makakatulong, doon lang tayo.”

-Rey Joble, InterAKTV

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings , LA Tenorio , PBA

Jerry Codiñera no longer Head Coach of UE

Jerry Codiñera is no longer head coach of the University of the East Red Warriors after a season and a half at the helm.

The PBA legend confirmed the news in a text message to InterAKTV Thursday.

“I am now appointed sports consultant for UE,” he wrote. “Cheers to the UE Warriors.”

With Codiñera as coach, the rebuilding Warriors stumbled to a seventh place finish last season with a 3-11 win-loss record. The squad won just one assignment in the first round of the UAAP this year before Codiñera’s exit.

Codiñera was named one of the 25 Greatest Players by the PBA during the league’s silver anniversary in 2000. Most memorably, he teamed up with Alvin Patrimonio to form one of the most fearsome frontcourt combinations at Purefoods, with whom he was named to the Mythical Team eight times and the All-Defensive team nine times.

Prior to that, he was part of the UE team that won back-to-back UAAP titles in 1984 and 1985 along with Allan Caidic.

UE management has yet to name a successor to Codiñera.
-Rey Joble InterAKTV

Jerry Codiñera , UAAP , UE Red Warriors