Willie Miller

If there is one local player to watch in this ongoing 2008 Fiesta Conference then it is reigning Most Valuable Player Willie Miller.After all Miller, not import Rosell Ellis, was the focal point of the Alaska offense when the team won the 2007 Fiesta Conference. And while the Coca-Cola Tigers (with Jason Dixon and George Gervin Jr.) and the Welcoat Dragons (with Marquis Gainous and Corey Santee) have two imports, the Alaska Aces are not far behind with Miller around to team up with Alaska import Randy Holcomb.

I feel like we have two imports, said Alaska Aces coach Tim Cone. We have Willie who is almost like an import and Randy who is an import. We are going to play off that. It is just a question of time. I am confident we will get tougher as we go along and go forward.

The Olongapo-born Miller is motivated to play well this Fiesta Conference after a disappointing Philippine Cup where the Aces could not make it past the semifinals. They lost to the eventual champion Sta. Lucia Realtors and the bitter pill only serves to fire up Miller this time around.

I was so disappointed at missing the finals that I did not even watch the series between Purefoods and Sta. Lucia, said Miller. I immediately went home to Olongapo para magpahinga at syempre mag beach. Sayang kasi talaga. First time sana for me to win a PBA title sa All-Filipino Conference.

Miller, however, would rather not dwell on past games and would rather focus on the future and how to retain the PBA Fiesta Conference crown. Already he is leading the Alaska locals in scoring with 18.33 points per game which is second only to Holcomb who has an average of 20.33 points.

Hindi masaya pag hindi nananalo ang team, said Miller. Ayoko noon. MVP ka nga natalo naman kayo. Wala rin. Mas importante ang manalo ang team para lahat kayong magkakasama masaya.

Good things may be coming the way of Miller and the Alaska Aces this Fiesta Conference.

The two-time MVP Miller rewrote the PBA record books by winning the Obstacle Challenge in the Skills Competitions of the 2008 PBA All-Star Week at the West Negros University Gym in Bacolod City a third straight time and lowered the best time to 25.5 seconds in the process.

Bihira yata ang manalo ng tatlong sunod kahit saan, said Miller. Kaya masarap ang pakiramdam nito.

There is a saying that everything comes in threes. Alaska Aces fans could only hope that this holds true for Miller who already has two PBA championships and two MVP awards under his belt.

Alaska fans would certainly like nothing better than for Miller to win his third PBA championship this 2008 Fiesta Conference and collect a third MVP award as well.