Year 2000 saw Alaska slowly rebuilding its post-grand slam team and not only because age is beginning to catch up with the team, what’s even worse was the Aces were cash-strapped.
At that time, marquee players of Alaska had expiring contracts and the team was having a difficult time keeping the core of its winning squad.
Negotiations were going on and management was trying to figure out a way of holding on to its assets, only to lose them one by one in the next two seasons.
First to go was Jojo Lastimosa, a long-time team captain who led the squad to nine championship runs, including the triple crown in 1996.
Lastimosa has been a key figure in the franchise’s buildup as he was a member of the team all the way from the time it won its first championship in the 1991 Third Conference until he was released as a free agent.
“There were circumstances that happened when I transferred (to Pop Cola),” Lastimosa told Journey @Pinoystep.com. “There were reasons behind it. I would have preferred to stay even when my contract expired in 1999.”
“Ayaw kong magpa-trade noon at that time when I was a free agent. It just so happened that wala na talagang pampa-suweldo yung Alaska for me because they were already over the cap. In short, wala na mai-suweldo sa akin. I asked for a pay cut, even with the pay cut, wala pa rin.”
In between uncertainties, legendary coach Ron Jacobs, then the consultant of teams owned by San Miguel Corporation at that time, met with Lastimosa and asked him to join a resurging San Miguel team that just won back-to-back championships under head coach Jong Uichico.
“I had a choice,” added Lastimosa. “San Miguel was recruiting me as well as Pop Cola, with Chot (Reyes), making his coaching return, also recruiting me.”
“I had dinner with Ron Jacobs and Jong (Uichico) during that time and they were selling the franchise, ‘hey, you’re going to be one of the vets here and you’re going to play with the young plaers and we’re gonna win.’ Tama rin naman kasi malakas yung San Miguel during that time.”
With Uichico calling the shots and Jacobs watching his back, San Miguel was an emerging powerhouse with Olsen Racela maturing as the lead point guard of the team, young players Danny Ildefonso and Danny Seigle forming the awesome twosome up front and Nic Belasco and Dorian Peña providing added muscle in the fornt court.
Off the bench, the team also has players like Boybits Victoria, Dwight Lago, Siot Tangquingcen, Rob Duat and Mike Mustre among others.
But Lastimosa decided to go with the rebuilding Pop Cola team being coached by Reyes instead of joining the star-studded Beermen.
“They didn’t really need me, but Ron wanted me there,” added Lastimosa. “But Chot was the one needing more players in terms of getting a group of guys. He was recruiting players. Mas kailangan ako ni Chot.”
Lastimosa’s relationship with Reyes went back all the way to the time when they were with Ateneo in the early 1980s.
When Purefoods’ PBA team was formed in 1988, Reyes, then a young executive, tapped Lastimosa, Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codiñera and Glenn Capacio as among those amateur players directly elevated to the pro league when the Hotdogs acquired the old Tanduay franchise then owned by the Elizalde family.
Reyes and Lastimosa also worked together with Alaska and eventually, with the Centennial Team.
In his coaching comeback, Reyes, who was also coming off a stint as executive of the Metropolitan Basketball Association, sought the help of Lastimosa.
“When Chot recruited me, I knew hindi kami mananalo, but Chot and I were also coming off a long relationship going back to college. I just can’t turn my back on Chot. That’s my reason. During that time, Chot was trying to reinvent himself,” said Lastimosa.
“He was given a chance to coach Pop Cola a few years after the Centennial Team and his work in the MBA.”
Photo credits: PBA Retro Facebook 80s/90s
