Tim Cone

Earl Timothy Cone, better known as Tim Cone, is the American head coach of the Alaska Aces in the Philippine Basketball Association. He is known for leading the Aces to 12 PBA titles in its franchise history while leading the 1996 Milkmen to a rare PBA Grandslam. He also once coached the Philippine Centennial Basketball Team in 1998.

Coaching career

In 1989, Cone took over as the coach of the Alaska Air Force with players such as the famed Bruise Brothers duo of Yoyoy Villamin and Ricky Relosa, and Abet Guidaben. A year later, Cone led the Air Force to the finals of the 1990 PBA Third Conference. But, Alaska blew a 2-0 lead in the best-of-five series to suffer one of the biggest collapses in PBA history, losing to Purefoods in five games. But in 1991, Alaska won its first championship by defeating Ginebra San Miguel in the 3rd Conference. That team was led by Eugene Quilban and Bong Alvarez.

After several struggles, Cone's team would have a strong team of locals Johnny Abarrientos, Jojo Lastimosa, Bong Hawkins, Jeffrey Cariaso and Edward Juinio, while having import Sean Chambers for the Milkmen. From 1994-1998, the Milkmen won eight titles in 14 conferences during the stretch. The highlight of that run though would come in the 1996 season, when Alaska won the coveted PBA Grand Slam, becoming the third franchise and the fourth team to win a Grand Slam in the history of the PBA.

While Alaska continued to dominate by adding Kenneth Duremdes in 1997. Duremdes, playing a limited role with the Pop Cola franchise, rose up to the occasion in 1998 under Cone's tutelage, winning the PBA Most Valuable Player Award at 24 years of age. That year, Cone was hired as the coach of the Philippine Centennial Team led by Duremdes, Abarrientos, Lastimosa, three players on Cone's Alaska team, and PBA stars Alvin Patrimonio, Marlou Aquino and Allan Caidic. That team won a bronze medal in the 1998 Asian Games in Bangkok, Thailand.

Alaska won the 2000 All-Filipino Cup, but afterwards, the team rebuild trading away several remnants of the old Alaska. Cone, however, would lead the young team of John Arigo and Ali Peek to runner-up finishes in the 2002 Governors and All-Filipino Cup. A year later, the Aces added UAAP star Mike Cortez and fil-am Brandon Cablay, leading Alaska to the 2003 PBA Invitational Cup championship, Cone's 11th title.

New Contract

On July 17, 2006 Manila Standard reported that Alaska is set to terminate Cone depending on a meeting between both parties after Cone's contract with the Aces expired on July 15. Rumors also speculated that his replacement will be his former assistant, current National team mentor Chot Reyes, with Cone staying on as team consultant. [http://www.manilastandardtoday.com/?page=sports01_july17_2006]

However, a day later, the Aces' official website reported that Cone has agreed to a new deal to stay on as the team's head coach for the 2006-07 PBA season. Terms of the contract were not disclosed. [http://www.alaskaaces.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=194&Itemid=104]

Trivia

* Cone is known as the only head coach in the PBA to wear a long sleeve and a tie during games. He has once wore a short sleeve in 2006 before reverting back to his usual look. His past assistants Joel Banal and Chot Reyes has taken the practice as well in multiple occasions.

External links

* [http://www.pba.ph/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 Philippines Basketball Association website]
* [http://www.alaskaaces.com.ph/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=38&Itemid=42 Alaska Aces roster]