On April 16, 2012, Banal stepped down as coach. Alaska owner Wilfred Uytengsu appointed long-time assistant coach Luigi Trillo, son of the current PBA governor Joaqui Trillo to handle the team for the rest of the season. They also brought back Jason Forte as reinforcement in the Governor's Cup. They went on and finished 9th in the league winning only two of their nine outings. The Aces failed to enter the quarter-finals with the team having its worst finish in a season since it joined the league.