Al Solis

Alfonso Solis

Personal information
Born	(1962-12-23) December 23, 1962 Davao City
Nationality	Filipino
Listed height	5 ft 11 in (1.80 m)
Listed weight	170 lb (77 kg)
Career information
College	University of Visayas
PBA draft	1987:
Selected by the Hills Bros.
Playing career	1987–2001
Position	Shooting guard
Number	8
Career history
1987	Formula Shell
1988-1990	Purefoods Hotdogs
1991–1995	Swift/Sunkist
1996-2000	Pepsi/Mobiline
2001	Batang Red Bull Thunder

Alfonso Solis (born December 23, 1962), or better known as Al Solis, is a retired Filipino professional basketball player in the Philippine Basketball Association.

Amateur career

He started his dribbling career in 1977 as a University of Visayas Baby Lancer, after three years of junior basketball, Al Solis was elevated to the varsity rank and lasted until 1984. Simultaneously with his UV stint, he played for several local commercial teams in Cebu. He became one of the veteran players in the Philippine Amateur Basketball League, suited up in the very first PABL tournament, playing for Cine Suerte under coach Arturo Valenzona, and prior to that, played for Fariñas Transit alongside Anthony Mendoza, Dondon Ampalayo and Adonis Tierra.

Solis became a member of the RP Youth team that finished third in the 1984 ABC 19 and under meet in Seoul, Korea. The following year, he joined the Northern Cement basketball team under coach Ron Jacobs, also saw action for Lagerlite Beer, after which he went back to Cebu and joined Lhuillier, becoming part of the Jewelers' champion team in the 1986 PABL First Conference.

Professional career

Originally drafted by Hills Bros. (formerly Alaska Milk) in the PBA, Al Solis was traded to Shell, along with Rey Cuenco in exchange for Bogs Adornado, after placing second to Allan Caidic for the rookie of the year honors in his freshman year, Solis moved to newcomer Purefoods Hotdogs at the beginning of the 1988 PBA season. Al was responsible for leading the Hotdogs to their first-ever PBA championship in 1990, he scored a clutch three-pointer with 14 seconds remaining and two seconds on their shotclock, that gave the Hotdogs a four-point cushion in the deciding Game five of the third conference finals against Alaska Milk.

He was offered a P2.6 million contract by the RFM franchise the following season, which Purefoods surprisingly didn't match. Solis went on to win four championships with the Swift/Sunkist ballclub, and later on played for Mobiline and in his final PBA season with Red Bull.