ALASKA team owner Wilfred Uytengsu is in town and lost no time meeting up with key personnel of the proud franchise that left a lasting legacy in the PBA.
Uytengsu and wife Kerri had an intimate dinner with Alaska coach Jeff Cariaso, governor and team manager Dickie Bachmann, deputy Franco Atienza, head trainer Gus Vargas, team physician Dr Facundo Sun, and sports development and public relations officer CK Kanapi-Daniolco.
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Also joining the affair held at the Manila House Private Members Club were former team manager Joaqui Trillo and one-time Alaska star Jojo Lastimosa.
It was the first Manila visit for Uytengsu, also a former PBA Board chairman, since he decided to sell the Alaska franchise to Converge ICT Solutions two months ago.
Canapi-Daniolco posted photos of the dinner on her Facebook account.
"We had dinner lang with a selected few," said Cariaso,the first personnel within the team to be informed by Uytengsu when he decided to sell the Alaska franchise, owner of 14 championships including a grand slam in 1996.
Cariaso said he didn't know until when the Uytengsus will stay in Manila or will he meet and gather together the entire Alaska team for one last time.
"I'm not sure but he may have plans to meet the whole team," said Cariaso.
Initially, there were plans for Uytengsu to fly back to the country and watch the few remaining games of the Aces in the Governors Cup.
But obviously his busy schedule prevented him from going to Manila and see his former team, which played its final game in the PBA last March 19 in a 96-80 loss to NLEX in their sudden-death playoffs for a semis berth.
The entire Alaska team was acquired lock, stock, and barrel by Converge which Cariaso will be coaching next season.
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