1988 Alaska Air Force season

The 1988 Alaska Milkmen season was the 3rd season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).

Season Summary

• Reverting back to Alaska Milk after two bridesmaid finishes last season as Hills Bros. Coffee Kings The team could not get through the finals in the first two conferences and settled for third place finishes in both Open and All-Filipino conference, dismiss as more of a pretender than a contender for the championship throne.
• Alaska made it to the finals in a 1988 PBA/IBA World Challenge Cup, the special one-week event, against the All-Filipino champion Anejo Rum 65, the two local squads were joined by the Los Angeles Jaguars (US Selection) and the Australian Selection in the 4-team field. Alaska, despite parading an impressive import tandem of Willie Bland and Eddie Cox, lost to Anejo in the finals, 128-126, which only had Bobby Parks as their reinforcement.
• In the Third Conference, PBA Great William "Bogs" Adornado became Alaska's new head coach, following Turo Valenzona's resignation, and there were signs of promises for the team to reach the finals, with the spectacular import Willie Bland and Eddie Cox.
• On October 4, Alaska's first game in the Third Conferences versus Anejo Rum 65, Willie bland scored 65 points against the "Black Superman" Billy Ray Bates to lead Alaska to a 136-131 win over Anejo, and Adornado's first win as a coach.
• In its bid to bolster its finals' chances, Alaska replaces Eddie Cox, with a much bigger David Boone, Alaska race to a 4-2 start and were contending at the top of the standings.
• A four-game losing streak, two towards the end of eliminations and their first two games of the semifinals prompt the management to look into Willie Bland's controversial plays in the closing minutes wherein Alaska lost, it was found out Bland was involved into game-fixing, PBA commissioner Rudy Salud reviewed the tapes and sought assistance of the NBI and CIS to look into suspected game-fixers and Bland was under surveillance and was seen talking to shady characters prior to Alaska's next game.
• In an October 23 game against lowly Purefoods, Bland scored 70 points but Alaska still lost, 148-147 in OT. the 111-106 loss to Presto in the semifinal game on November 15, put to rest the suspicions that something smells "fishy". Willie Bland was allowed to slip the country, and no case was filed.
• Alaska bowed out of contention in the Third Conference with five straight defeats at the end of the semifinals.

Roster

• R - Rookie
• I - Import

References