Louie Alas

Last updated
Louie Alas
Ateneo Blue Eagles
PositionDeputy coach
League UAAP
Personal information
Born (1963-10-10) October 10, 1963 (age 60)
Unisan, Quezon, Philippines
NationalityFilipino
Career information
College Adamson University
PBA draft 1990: 3rd round, 21st overall pick
Selected by the Purefoods Hotdogs
Coaching career1997–present
Career history
As coach:
1997–1998 Purefoods Corned Beef (assistant)
1998 Colegio de San Juan de Letran
1999 Manila Metrostars
2000 Mobiline Phone Pals (assistant)
2000–2001 Mobiline/Talk 'n Text Phone Pals
2002–2012Colegio de San Juan de Letran
2009–2011 Philippine Patriots
2012–2017 Alaska Aces (assistant)
2017–2020 Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters
2023–present Zamboanga Master Sardines
2024–present Ateneo de Manila (deputy coach)
Career highlights and awards
As head coach:

As assistant coach:

Medals
Men's Basketball
Head coach for Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines
Southeast Asian Games
Gold medal icon (G initial).svg 1999 Burnei team

Francisco Luis "Louie" Alas (born October 10, 1963) is a Filipino basketball head coach. He is the former head coach of the Letran Knights in the National Collegiate Athletic Association, and Philippine Patriots in the ASEAN Basketball League. He was also a former coach of Mobiline from 2000 to 2001 in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Contents

Playing career

Alas' basketball career began in Adamson University in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines where he played for the school's team Adamson Falcons. In the PABL, he played for ESQ, Purefoods, Philips Sardines and Burger Machine.

He also used to work in the Philippine Sports Commission.

Coaching career

His first coaching job was with the Saint Francis of Assisi Baby Doves in Las Piñas. Afterwards, he moved to Las Piñas College. For a time, Alas used to be an assistant coach in Adamson University.

Professional

He had started as an assistant coach for Purefoods Corned Beef Cowboys under Eric Altamirano from 1997 to 1998. Later on, he transferred to the now-defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association.

Alas was supposed to handle another MBA team, the Batangas Blades when the PBA's Mobiline Phone Pals gave him an offer a chance to coach, and immediately took it. [1] Prior to this, Mobiline was struggling under Eric Altamirano who have been fired together with the whole coaching staff. [2] While in the PBA, he led the Phone Pals to its best record in the elimination phase of the Governor's Cup in 2000 and 2001 but all ended up losing in the semis. The Pop Cola Panthers was the first PBA team to offer him a coaching job but decided to stick with the Metrostars.

Controversy

However, before the 2002 season, Alas was fired from the team. According to reports, Alas angered top Mobiline officials when he chose Gilbert Demape over John Arigo as the team's top rookie draft pick. But he denied this allegation, saying that he had a series of meetings with the owners, and was given the freedom to decide on what he felt was best for the team. On December 3, 2001, Mobiline announced that Alas had stepped down as the team's head coach.

Alas was replaced by American Bill Bayno who immediately received heavy criticism from the nationalist Basketball Coaches Association of the Philippines due to his nationality.

NCAA and PBL

In 1998, Alas barged into NCAA territory with Letran. He immediately captured that year's championship trophy by sweeping the San Sebastian Stags in a best-of-three series.

In 2003, his Letran Knights will face the Stags again in the finals and once again he prevailed thanks to the heroics of Boyet Bautista, Aaron Aban and Jonathan Pinera. Right after the title win, the Knights joined the Philippine Basketball League under the name of Toyota Otis-Letran. The Knights captured the third-place trophy in the league's Unity Cup after beating defending champions Hapee Toothpaste Sparklers. In the 2006 PBL Unity Cup, he led Toyota to its first finals appearance only to lose to the Harbour Centre Portmasters in the pivotal fifth game in their best-of-5 series.

In 2005, he gave Letran its 16th NCAA Championship by beating the PCU Dolphins 2–1 in their epic championship series despite being down 0–1. They also ended the eliminations with a 13–1 win–loss card which is their best record since 1950.

In 2007, he suffered his very first NCAA championship loss in the hands of the San Beda Red Lions who swept them in two games. during the championship series, basketball analysts were very aware of his coaching mystique that some believed he can pull off an upset against the mighty Red Lions.

In 2012, at his last year at Letran, he led the team with a finals appearance, but lost again to Red Lions, this time coached by Ronnie Magsanoc. [3]

His stint with Letran has a total of three championships. [4]

Philippine youth and senior national team

He made his coaching debut in the national team by assisting San Beda College High School coach Ato Badolato in the SEABA Jrs in 1996. The team was led by Ren-Ren Ritualo and Aries Dimaunahan. A year later, he was named coach of the youth team and formed a formidable lineup composed of future basketball stars like Kerby Raymundo, Enrico Villanueva, Cyrus Baguio, Yancy de Ocampo and others. The team won the SEABA Championship and placed third in the ABC Juniors Championship.

After his stint with the youth, he was tasked to coach the Philippines in the 1999 Southeast Asian Games in Brunei. Majority of his players were from his MBA team, the Manila Metrostars because prior to the competition, the Metrostars were the top-seeded team in that season. He led the Philippines to a gold medal by sweeping the whole tournament and beating Thailand in the Gold Medal Match.

In December 2007, he helped the Philippines win another gold medal in the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Ratchaburi, Thailand. This time though, he was an assistant coach to Junel Baculi.

Return to Pros

Asssitant for Alaska Aces

Alas became an assistant for Alaska Aces under Luigi Trillo. The team won the 2013 Commssioner's Cup title. After winning the title, he was rumored to coach Ginebra, the team they defeated to clinch the title. [5] He stayed with the Aces until 2017. [6]

Phoenix Fuel

He was hired as head coach of Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters in 2017. [6] He led the team into a semi-finals appearance. He was fired by the team in 2020. [7] [8]

Zamboanga Valientes

Alas was hired as head coach of Zamboanga Valientes in the MPBL. [9]

Return to Collegiate ranks

La Salle shortlist

After Phoenix stint, Alas was rumored to be the head coach of De La Salle Green Archers in 2023. But did not come to fruition. [10]

Assistant at Ateneo

In 2024, Alas was hired as a deputy coach (Associate HC) for the Ateneo Blue Eagles under Tab Baldwin. [4]

Personal life

Alas hails from the fishing town of Unisan, Quezon, and is the seventh of eight children. His younger brother Carmelo is one of his assistant coaches in Letran and Phoenix Fuel Masters.

He is married to Liza Alas (née Platón), a hotel manager and has four sons: Kristoffer Louie, Kevin, Kenneth, and Kieffer, all of whom are inclined towards basketball. Kenneth is currently enrolled in Far Eastern University while Kristoffer and Kevin formerly played for the Letran Knights. Kevin is currently signed to the Philippine Basketball Association's NLEX Road Warriors.

Historian Pepe Alas is a nephew of his, a son of his elder brother Josefino.

Coaching profile

He is known to nicknames such as "Coach A" or "The Ace Coach". He has a reputation of being a very good motivator and a certified winner. So far he has tallied a total of 220 wins and 120 losses with a .647 winning percentage.

Some of his coaching idols are Larry Brown, Phil Jackson, Dean Smith, John Wooden, and Mike Krzyzewski.

He also has the ability to transform a weak team to a championship contender and turning unknown or under the radar players into stars. His players from Letran that went up to the pros are the best example of that. In 2007, his Letran team, despite undergoing a three-year rebuilding stage, surprisingly made it to the finals only to lose to the San Beda Red Lions, but the team were adored by showing their winning attitude despite being a rebuilding team. He only missed the NCAA Final Four twice (2002 and 2010).

As a coach, he specializes on defense which is the important key in winning a championship. He became the first non-Letran graduate coach in school history to give Letran at least 3 championships (1998, 2003, and 2005) and 10 Final Four appearances.

Coaching record

Collegiate record

SeasonTeamEliminationsPlayoffs
GWLPCTFinishPGWLPCTResults
Letran Knights (NCAA)
1998 CSJL 14122.8571st3301.000Won NCAA championship
2002 CSJL 1477.5006thMissed playoffs
2003 CSJL 1495.6431st431.750Won NCAA championship
2004 CSJL 1495.6433rd211.500Lost in the semifinals
2005 CSJL 14131.9291st431.750Won NCAA championship
2006 CSJL 14104.7143rd202.000Lost in the semifinals
2007 CSJL 1293.7502nd312.333Lost in the finals
2008 CSJL 1495.6433rd312.333Lost in the semifinals
2009 CSJL 18126.6674th101.000Lost in the semifinals
2010 CSJL 1679.4385thMissed playoffs
2011 CSJL 18144.7783rd211.500Lost in the semifinals
2012 CSJL 18126.6673rd532.600Lost in the finals
Totals18012357.683Playoff Totals291613.5583 championships

ABL

SeasonTeamGPWLPCTFinishPGWLP-PCTResults
2009–10 Air Asia PHI 13103.7331st5501.000 Won ABL championship
2010–11 Air Asia PHI 1596.6002nd422.500 Lost in the finals
Totals28199.679Playoff totals972.7781 championship

PBA

SeasonConferenceTeamGPWLPCTFinishPGWLP-PCTResults
2000 Commissioner's Cup Mobiline 945.4446th101.000Lost in the quarterfinals
Governors' Cup 972.7781st624.333Lost in the semifinals
2001 All-Filipino Cup Talk 'N Text 1468.4298th211.500Lost in the quarterfinals
Commissioner's Cup 936.3338th101.000Lost in the quarterfinals
Governors' Cup 1376.5385th101.000Lost in the quarterfinals
2017–18 Philippine Cup Phoenix 1156.4559thMissed playoffs
Commissioner's Cup 1147.36410thMissed playoffs
Governors' Cup 1183.7271st002.000Lost in the quarterfinals
2019 Philippine Cup Phoenix Pulse 1192.8181st624.333Lost in the semifinals
Commissioner's Cup 1147.36410thMissed playoffs
Governors' Cup 1138.27311thMissed playoffs
Career total1206060.500Playoff total17514.2630 PBA championships

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References

  1. "Mobiline offers Alas P10-M pact". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2022-06-17.
  2. Beltran, Joey Villar, Nelson. "Alas: I have to give up RP team stint to coach Mobiline". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2022-06-17.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. Sacamos, Karlo (October 26, 2012). "Ruthless defense helps Red Lions wrap up record 17th title". Spin.ph. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  4. 1 2 Garcia, John Mark (February 27, 2024). "Louie Alas joins Tab Baldwin's staff at Ateneo as deputy coach". Spin.ph. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  5. Badua, Snow (June 24, 2013). "Ace up Ginebra's sleeve? Alaska's Alas offered coaching job by rival SMC group". Spin.ph. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  6. 1 2 Beltran, Nelson (October 26, 2017). "Alas replaces Vanguardia as Phoenix coach". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  7. Leyba, Olmin (September 12, 2020). "Phoenix fires Alas, appoints Topex interim coach". Philstar.com. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  8. Villanueva, Eros (2020-09-12). "Phoenix lets go of Louie Alas, Topex Robinson named interim coach". ESPN.com. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  9. Times, Tiebreaker (2023-08-06). "MPBL: Zamboanga weathers San Juan storm, gifts Louie Alas winning debut". Tiebreaker Times. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
  10. Ramos, Gerry (January 13, 2023). "Louie Alas latest name on list of La Salle coaching candidates". Spin.ph. Retrieved 2024-08-24.
Preceded by
Mollet Pineda
Letran Knights head coach
1998
Succeeded by
Preceded by Manila Metrostars head coach
1999
Succeeded by
Preceded by Mobiline Phone Pals head coach
2000–2001
Succeeded by
Preceded by Letran Knights head coach
20022012
Succeeded by
Preceded by
Bogs Adornado (interim)
AirAsia Philippine Patriots head coach
2009–2011
Succeeded by
Preceded by Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters head coach
2017–2019
Succeeded by