The Alaska Aces secured their future Friday by officially inking upcoming star Jeron Teng to a three-year pact. Aces team governor Dickie Bachman confirmed the transaction, but terms of the deal were not disclosed.
The former La Salle stalwart was the second best performing player for Alaska during the 2020 PBA bubble after submitting solid averages of 11.09 points, 4.73 rebounds and 4.09 assists in 11 games.
Selected fifth overall in the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft, the 26-year-old Teng could easily serve as the franchise's face under coach Jeffrey Cariaso.
Alaska entered the PBA bubble playoffs as the sixth seed. The Aces got the boot in the opening round after bowing to third seed TNT Tropang Giga.
Meanwhile, the Aces boosted their frontcourt by signing free agent big man Yousef Taha to a one-year deal.
The 6-foot-8 Taha is a serviceable big man who could provide inside presence for an Alaska side that is trying to move on after the retirement of long-time star slotman Sonny Thoss last year.
Taha was selected 12th overall by Air21 in the 2012 PBA Draft, before spending much of his career bouncing from the Express to Ginebra (2012-13), GlobalPort (now NorthPort in 2013), Petron (now San Miguel Beer from 2013-14) and San Mig (now Magnolia 2014-16), back to NorthPort in 2018 and finally with TNT in 2018-19.
On Thursday, the Aces inked free agent Gab Banal to a one-conference deal. Banal last played in the PBA in 2016 and has spent the last four years in the 3x3 circuit and the MPBL.
The Aces are still in negotiations with star forward Vic Manuel.