Banal hopes Cone’s tips work as Alaska faces B-Meg

Games today:

Araneta Coliseum

4 p.m.- Alaska vs. B-Meg

6:15 p.m.- Rain or Shine vs. Petron

ALASKA HEAD coach Joel Banal has disclosed that his predecessor Tim Cone has been giving him tips on how to run the Aces, tips that are partly meant to end the Aces’ struggles in the ongoing 37th PBA Philippine Cup.

“We are good friends. We text each other always and discuss things about basketball,” said Banal in an interview before the Aces played the Petron Blaze Boosters in Lapu-Lapu City last Nov. 3.

Banal and the Aces will try get something good from that tips but Cone definitely wouldn’t want to be cooked in his own oil as the B-Meg Llamados and Alaska figure in a rematch of an intriguing first game of today’s twinbill at the Araneta Coliseum.

So far, Alaska has only one win to show in seven games, struggling to get its campaign going since Cone left the team days before the start of the tournament.

Cone was victorious in his first meeting with the team that he coached for 22 years as the Llamados survived a tough battle to deck the Aces, 81-75, last Oct. 12.

Cone said it was a mixed feeling seeing his new team win and his former team at the losing end.  “I take no delight in beating Alaska.”

Cone may still feel for the Aces. But the Llamados are expected to go all-out against the Aces as they too are looking to build some consistency going into the homestretch of the tournament.

Meanwhile, two streaking teams face off in the main game with the league-leading Rain or Shine Elasto Painters taking on the Petron Blaze Boosters./EDITORIAL ASSISTANT CALVIN D. CORDOVA