Coach Louie Alas passes up Patriots's extension offer

Source : Reynaldo Belen, InterAKTV
The Philippine Patriots are still without a head coach in next season’s Asean Basketball League.
This after Louie Alas, head coach of the Patriots for the past two seasons, decided to pass up on the contract extension offered to him by the squad. Team management had earlier claimed that Alas, who led the Patriots to the championship in the league’s inaugural year, would stay on as coach for the ABL’s third season.

But a text message sent by the champion coach to InterAKTV confirmed that he would not be renewing with the ABL team.

“I decided to relax muna after the NCAA season until December. Almost three years na din akong walang break sa coaching, from January to December, NCAA-ABL, ABL-NCAA,” wrote Alas in a text message.

Alas’ resume boasts of impressive credentials. He won championships on almost all levels of the game – a title with the Manila Metrostars in the defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association in 1999, three championships with the Letran Knights in the NCAA, a gold medal finish with the Philippine national team in the 1999 Southeast Asian Games and the title with the Patriots in the Asean Basketball League in 2010.

“I’d like to thank (Patriots management) for the contract extension offered,” said Alas. “But because of fatigue, I might not be as effective as I should be. I don’t want to keep them hanging because malapit na ABL.”

sponsored

Alas and the Patriots fell short of defending their title this season when they lost to the Chang Thailand Slammers. Junel Baculi, former consultant of Harbour Centre, was set to take over as head coach, but the veteran mentor was recalled by Barako Bull to coach in the PBA.

The Patriots earlier narrowed their choices down to Alas and Topex Robinson, head coach of the San Sebastian Stags in the NCAA and RnW Pacific Pipes in the PBA D-League.

But Patriots team manager Erick Arejola said their choices have become broader.

“Halos lahat kasi ng gusto naming maging head coach, may mga commitment na rin,” said Arejola. “Wala pa talaga at this time.”