Pals, Hotdogs still hurting

For Mobiline coach Louie Alas and Purefoods ace player Alvin Patrimonio, the crave to win a PBA championship only got deeper as their respective teams were eliminated early in the ongoing All-Filipino Cup.

For both, their early ouster in the tournament means continuation of a title-less slump since Purefoods captured the All-Filipino crown in 1997. Patrimonio led the Hotdogs to that conquest and went on to bag his fourth MVP title at the end of the season. Alas was part of the team then, working as assistant to head coach Eric Altamirano.

"Four years na akong hindi nakakatikim ng championship. Nakakainip ng manalo uli," said Patrimonio.

"Two years na ako sa Mobiline. Lahat ng suporta ibinibigay naman sa amin ng management, siguro dapat na namin suklian ng championship ang suporta nila. Sabik na akong mag-champion," said Alas, a multi-titled mentor with championships with the Letran Knights in the NCAA, the Manila Metrostars in the MBA and the national team in a number of international jousts.

With their title bids in the All-Filipino Cup scuttled, Alas and Patrimonio now both hope they be blessed with good imports that could possibly help them win the championship in the next conference.

Purefoods is thinking of bringing back old import Julius Nwosu or tapping David Woods while Mobiline is now awaiting the arrival of Rossel Ellis. US-based Filipino player-agent Chiqui dela Rosa has offered the services of former UCLA standout Ed O’Bannon to both teams.

"Titignan ko muna si Ellis. Kung okay, papipirmahin na namin. Kung hindi, titignan ko si O’Bannon," said Alas, pointing out that he was impressed by Ellis in two-game tapes where the 6-foot-6 player averaged over 30 points while playing for the Quad City team in the ABA.

Patrimonio said they were also impressed by Woods, whom he described as a blue-collar worker. Patrimonio likened Woods to Ronnie Grandison, a one-time PBA Best Import awardee. — Nelson Beltran