The 1986 Alaska Milkmen season was the first season of the franchise in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA).
Contents
New team
The Alaska Milk Corporation was accepted as a new member of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) entering its 12th.season. The league maintain a six-team field following the leave of absence by the Magnolia ballclub, one of the three founding members of the PBA. Alaska acquired Marte Saldaña, Rudy Distrito and Noli Banate from Magnolia and also signed up Magnolia coach Norman Black to a one-year contract as part of their coaching staff and import for the Third Conference, other players acquired by the newest ballclub were Alejo Alolor, Frankie Lim and Teddy Alfarero from Great Taste, Arnie Tuadles and Ricky Relosa from Ginebra, and Dennis Abbatuan from Shell, among their rookies were Rey Cuenco, the number 1 draft pick, Naning Valenciano and Rey Ramos.
Occurrences
The ballclub's first head coach was Tony Vasquez, after leading Alaska to a fourth-place finish in the first conference, he was replaced by assistant coach Cesar Jota beginning the All-Filipino Conference. After the first round of eliminations in the third conference, Vasquez makes a brief comeback to the bench but after three games, the coaching job was assumed again by former San Bedan Cesar Jota following Tony Vasquez' sudden passing.
Summary
The Alaska Milkmen were reinforced by Donnie Ray Koonce, who last played in the PBA three years ago in 1983, and Jerry Lee Eaves. The Milkmen debut in the opening game of the season on April 6, winning over Shell Oilers, 102-97. They scored their second win against Manila Beer, 110-101. Alaska were tied with Tanduay and Great Taste with 4 wins and 1 loss after the first round of eliminations. The Milkmen handed Tanduay their first loss by coming back from 14 points down in the fourth quarter to edge the Rhum Makers, 113-111 on April 20, a week later, Alaska repeated over Tanduay in the second round, winning 114-103, but they lost import Donnie Ray Koonce in the first half due to a bad fall suffered. The win raised their won-loss slate to 6-1. The Milkmen lost their last three games in the eliminations and dropped their first five assignments in the semifinals for an 8-game losing streak, they finally break a long, losing spell on May 25, winning over Ginebra, 125-116, and won their last two semifinal matches. Alaska placed fourth, losing to Ginebra in six games in their series for third place.
In the All-Filipino Conference, Alaska won only once in the one-round eliminations against the Philippine team-Magnolia Quench Plus, 117-112 on July 15. The Milkmen beat the nationals again in a playoff game, 100-96 on July 31, to advance in the quarterfinal round with a slim chance of making it to the semifinals. Alaska did won two of their three games in the quarterfinals.
Best import awardees Norman Black and Donnie Ray Koonce teamed up for the first time as Alaska's pair in the Third Conference. The Milkmen lost their first game to Ginebra, 115-122 on September 25, which also parade an explosive pair of best import winners Billy Ray Bates and Michael Hackett. After five games in the eliminations and Alaska carrying a 2-win, 3-loss card, Donnie Ray Koonce was replaced by Keith Morrison. Starting the second round of eliminations, the Milkmen welcome back head coach Tony Vasquez from the bench but his return was spoiled by Alaska's 111-114 loss to Manila Beer on October 19. The Milkmen won two of their last three games in the eliminations after coach Tony Vasquez' death for a 4-8 won-loss card. Alaska once again enters the quarterfinal round with the least chance of advancing into the semifinals as they were two games behind the other three quarterfinalists; Tanduay, Great Taste and Shell. The Milkmen were booted out of contention by Tanduay, 108-110 on November 11, they won their next game against Formula Shell before losing their last game of the season to Great Taste.