Jeffrey Cariaso

Thirty-five-year-old Jeffrey The Jet Cariaso continues to prove that age is just a number as he plays like he is a decade younger.

Just like the Alaska Aces, who have posted three straight victories to hike their record to 7 wins against 4 losses and soar to third place in the standings just behind Purefoods (9-2) and Red Bull (7-3), The Jet has taken off to win the PBA Press Corps Player of the Week award.

Cariaso was instrumental in the three straight victories of the Aces as he gradually played better and better in each game.

In the crucial 105-85 victory last Nov. 24 against Welcoat, Cariaso helped the Aces return to the winning track scoring 10 points, grabbing 4 rebounds and issuing 4 assists.

Last Nov. 28 Cariaso was even better. He had a team-high 26 points, 3 assists and 1 rebound in 39 minutes of action on the floor, the most by any player in his team, as he led Alaska to victory over Coca-Cola, 117-106.

I am just doing everything I can to help my teammates, said Cariaso. The players are really starting to gel. We are playing better and better together.
Cariaso was among the most efficient players on the floor in that game converting 75 percent of his three-point attempts, 50 percent of his two-point field goal attempts and 84 percent of his free throws.

Cariaso was at his best against Barangay Ginebra last Dec. 1, scoring the crucial points as the Alaska Aces beat Gin Kings at their own game, coming from behind to snatch the lead in the dying seconds and posting a scrambling, come-from-behind, 87-82, victory at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena.

Cariaso played like the original Alaska 4th quarter man, Jojo Lastimosa, as he scored a crucial triple to tie the mark at 82-all then converted the marginal basket to seal the victory. Cariaso finished with 18 points, 4 rebounds and 3 assists in 35 minutes of burn on the floor.
The performance of The Jet was noticed even by the working press in the PBA beat. The PBA Press Corps named him co-Player of the Week along with new Coca-Cola Tiger Asi Taulava.

And Cariaso is not even Alaska’s go-to guy on offense. According to Alaska coach Tim Cone the primary responsibility of The Jet is to provide leadership on the floor especially on defense.

We do not measure Jeff by his offense, said Cone. He is the leader of our defense and the overall leader of our team. When he has good shooting nights, like he has lately, that is just a bonus for us. He is our warrior.

Defensive stopper. Lockdown defender. That has always been the primary role of Cariaso even when he first joined the Alaska Aces in 1995 when he won Rookie of the Year honors.

In 1996 the Aces won the coveted Grand Slam and by end of the season, Bong Hawkins, Jojo Lastimosa and Cariaso were included in the Mythical team while Johnny Abarrientos went on to capture the coveted Most Valuable Player award.

The only active player remaining on the Alaska Grand Slam team of 1996, Cariaso will no doubt lead the Aces to more victories on their way to becoming the first team in five years to win back-to-back PBA titles.