Alaska Aces start practices

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The Alaska Aces, determined to post a better showing this coming Fiesta Conference, started their daily practices at the Reyes Gym in Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila.

Fifteen players, including hopefuls in big men Eric Canlas and Mark Andaya, showed up at the Reyes Gym training facility hoping to win coveted spots in the Alaska roster.

The other players were: Willie Miller, Sonny Thoss, LA Tenorio, Jeff Cariaso, John Ferriols, Reynel Hugnatan, Tony Dela Cruz, Larry Fonacier, Eddie Laure, Poch Juinio, JR Quinahan, Jun Cabatu and Ariel Capus.

We measured the capabilities of the players, said Alaska trainer Gus Vargas. Among the yardsticks was the Agility Run where players are made to run over a course which required them to change directions multiple times during the run. We will then compare the ability of the Aces to players who joined the incoming pre-draft camp of NBA players.

Other tests include the 30 meter acceleration run where players are made to run from baseline to the opposite free throw line or about ¾ of the court.

We will measure the acceleration rate of every player, said Vargas. After two months of training mag re-remeasure kami to find out how much they have improved.

Vargas said he will conduct tests to measure performance factors which are important to basketball players.

These performance factors include: (1) verticality or explosiveness to jump up, (2) laterality or speed to move from side to side. (3) Forward linear speed, and (4) Multi directional speed. Vargas measures how fast they could run while changing directions numerous times.

The performance of the Alaska players are compared against scores of NCAA Division I collegiate players and NCAA players in the NBA pre-draft camp. Comparing the scores of the Alaska players against these standards would be a good indicator of their level of fitness.

These are among the best athletes in the world. What we want is to approximate their abilities, according to Vargas.

The practices concluded with three-on-three scrimmages with a guard, a wing and a big.

Among the bigs Sonny Thoss was an offensive force inside the paint bullying newcomers Canlas and Andaya with his strength; shooting over the smaller Quinahan; or using his speed to drive past Juinio.

I was just trying to show them what I could do, said Thoss who will be the most scrutinized Alaska player in the team this coming All-Filipino.

The Alaska big man logged major minutes in the past Fiesta Conference after the Aces opted for a smaller import in Randy Holcomb. Everyone is expecting big things from Thoss this coming All-Filipino conference after he held his own against the big imports - such as seven-footers Chris Alexander of eventual champion Barangay Ginebra and Adam Parada of Red Bull.

Thoss decided to forego a vacation abroad and stayed in the country during the off-season, opting instead to work out on his own.

After their first practice, Vargas also measured the height, vertical reach and wingspan of the players.

Some of the players have a wingspan longer than their height. Miller (five feet, eleven inches tall) had a wingspan of six feet, one inch. Cariaso (six feet, two inches) had a wingspan of six feet four inches while Fonacier (six feet, one and a half inches) had a wingspan of six feet five inches.

The player with the longest wingspan was the Canlas (six feet, nine inches tall) who had a wingspan of seven feet, one inch.