Banchero aims for MIP, All-Defensive Team awards

MANILA, Philippines -- After being named to the All-Rookie Team last season, Chris Banchero's next goal is to be part of the All-Defensive Team and win the Most Improved Player award.

Freshly inked to a one-year contract extension with Alaska, the Fil-Italian point guard is putting more premium on defense entering his second year in the league in the hopes of helping the Aces finally win a championship after two near misses last season.

"I really want to be in the All-Defensive Team. thought I played good defense last year.  That really would be the award that I love to win, to become one of the best defensive players in the PBA and also the Most Improved," Banchero told Philstar.com during the launch of Gatorade White Lightning at the Gatorade Hoops Center on Thursday night.

Banchero averaged 7.0 points, 3.3 rebounds and 2.2 assists and close to one steal per game. The fifth overall selection joined Rookie of the Year Stanley Pringle of GlobalPort, Jake Pascual, who is now with Star, Matt Ganuelas-Rosser of Talk n Text and Jericho Cruz of Rain or Shine in the All-Rookie Team last season.

This time, he hopes to finally win a championship and get those two awards.

Last season, his teammates Ping Exciminiano and Calvin Abueva were named to the All-Defensive Team along with Gabe Norwood of Rain or Shine and San Miguel Beermen's tandem of Chris Ross and MVP June Mar Fajardo. 

"When you really win those awards, it shows how hard you work at your game and those are kind of the awards that I'm really aiming for this year," Banchero added.

The Aces is set to open their season against a re-loaded Talk n Text Tropang Texters in the main game of Friday's double-header at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Banchero said he is more excited to be back with the Aces especially with the new learning that their head coach Alex Compton and his teammates Calvin Abueva, Sonny Thoss and Dondon Hontiveros got from their stint in Gilas Pilipinas.

"That's such an honor for them to play for the country and I'm sure they've learned so much from coach Tab (Baldwin) and playing in the international stage. Their game has to grow in so many ways and being able to watch them come back and see how good they are now is really exciting for our team and tomorrow (Friday) is a good test where we at," Banchero said.