ALLAN THE MAN

The Alaska Aces made a splash in the 2013 PBA Rookie Draft when they picked Ateneo forward Ryan Buenafe with the eighth pick, even though the former Blue Eagles was projected to go in the second round.

Alaska head coach Luigi Trillo said he believes Buenafe can be a good fit for the Aces, especially after watching him practice with his team twice before the draft.

“He makes other guys around him better,” Trillo said in an interview with ABS-CBN news after the draft. “I think Sonny (Thoss) playing with him, and JV (Casio) and Calvin (Abueva), having him two days in practice – they were very happy.”

Trillo said Buenafe went down in the mock drafts because of how Ateneo played in the recent UAAP season, which saw the Blue Eagles fail to make the Final Four. Buenafe had an up-and-down season, playing well in the first couple of games before tapering off.

But the Alaska coach noted that when surrounded by other good players, Buenafe’s game shone.

“I saw him when he had a (Greg) Slaughter,” said Trillo, referring to the former Ateneo center. “They were a more complete team, and he really helped the team.”

“Seeing him in practice, he made other guys around him better. That’s a rarity – someone who can make the right assist, the right decision at the right time,” he added.

Trillo admitted that Buenafe represents a “high risk, high reward” pick.

“At that pick – 8, 9, 10 – you can have a little bit more high risk, high reward. Normally at 1 to 5, you just have a safe pick, you want a guy who’s hard working and who has it all,” said Trillo.

“But it was a need we needed to fill,” he added. “He (Buenafe) is a type of guy you can put as a project and use that way. But he’s been a winner, and I think he gets our system.”

Although he has confidence in Buenafe, Trillo acknowledged that the former Ateneo player still has a long road ahead of him.

“His work ethic has to be at another level here. He’s got to lose some weight,” said Trillo, who added that Alaska has a lot of veterans – like Casio and Thoss – who can help mentor Buenafe.

Buenafe, for his part, was surprised but delighted that he was picked by Alaska.

“Gusto ko talaga sa Alaska. Nakita ko na dito siguro ako makakapaglaro, unlike sa ibang team na parang medyo puno na ang line-up,” he said. “Sabi ko sana sa Alaska ako ma-draft, and since nag-training ako sa kanila ng twice, kita ko na fit ako ditto at mababait pa ‘yung mga players at coaches.”

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