Tim Cone

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Earl Timothy (Tim) Cone is the American head coach of the Alaska Aces in the Philippine Basketball Association. He is known for leading the Aces to 11 PBA titles in its franchise history while leading the 1996 Milkmen to a rare PBA Grandslam.

[edit] 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 2nd 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 grandslam, becoming the third franchise and the fourth team to win a grandslam 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.

[edit] New Contract

On July 17, 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. [1]

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. [2]

[edit] External links

• Philippines Basketball Association website
• Alaska Aces roster

Preceded by: Bogs Adornado	Alaska head coach 1989-current	Succeeded by: current
Preceded by: Norman Black	Philippine national basketball team Asian Games head coach 1998	Succeeded by: Jong Uichico

	Philippine Centennial Team - 1998 Asian Games (1998 Jones Cup - 1998 Centennial Cup)
4 Alvin Patrimonio | 5 Andy Seigle | 6 Jojo Lastimosa | 7 Dennis Espino | 8 Allan Caidic | 9 Jun Limpot | 10 Vergel Meneses | 11 EJ Feihl | 12 Olsen Racela | 13 Marlou Aquino | 14 Johnny Abarrientos | 15 Kenneth Duremdes | Coach Tim Cone

	PBA All-Star National Team - 2000 FIBA Asia All-Star Extravaganza
9 Rodney Santos | 10 Danny Ildefonso | 13 Marlou Aquino | 16 Alvin Patrimonio | 19 Kenneth Duremdes | 30 Eric Menk | 34 Rudy Hatfield | 40 Noy Castillo | 41 Johnny Abarrientos | 42 Danny Seigle | 52 Andrew Seigle | 61 Bong Hawkins | Coach Tim Cone