Aces upbeat after training camp with Australian coach

MANILA, Philippines -- With an intact roster that placed runner-up twice last season, Alaska is looking for its first PBA championship under coach Alex Compton next season following its recent two-week training camp under renowned Australian coach Rob Beveridge.

Assistant coach Louie Alas said their training camp  was more of fine-tuning the team's offense and defense since he has worked with the team last year.

"Napapanuod naman niya (Beveridge) lagi yung mga games namin so basically fine-tuning na lang ang ginawa namin sa training camp," Alas told Philstar.com on Sunday.

"Alam mo naman ang communication ngayon napakadali na lang."

Alas admitted that the Australian coach has had a profound influence on the team's system that thrives on a choking defense.

"Wala kaming masyadong binago sa sistema. Kung meron man, minimal lang pero dun pa rin sa pressing defense nage-evolve lahat," he added.

But the soft-spoken Alas said the Aces will just have to make some adjustments once Compton and key players Sonny Thoss, Calvin Abueva and Dondon Hontiveros return from their stint with Gilas Pilipinas.
Compton currently serves as one of Gilas coach Tab Baldwin's assistants while the three Alaska veterans are playing in the Fiba-Asia men's championships in Changsa, China.

The Aces finished with a 34-24 win-loss record last season, placing second in the Philippine Cup and Governors Cup, conferences won by San Miguel Beer.

Beveridge's impressive resume includes steering Australia to the championship of the 2003 World Under-19 meet in Thessaloniki, Greece.

Aside from handling Australia’s national junior team program from 2002 to 2004, Beveridge also served as the Nike Basketball Camp director from 2005 to 2013.

He also headed the Nike Hoop Summit for five years where he was credited for helping produce the likes of current NBA players like Aussie star Patty Mills of the San Antonio Spurs, Oklahoma City Thunder big man Serge Ibaka, Charlotte Hornets' Nicolas Batum, Cleveland Cavaliers’ Tristan Thompson, and Frechman Kevin Seraphin of the Washington Wizards.