Give And Go
By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
In the first two conferences of the ongoing season of the Philippine Basketball Association the NLEX Road Warriors had it rough, failing to advance to the playoffs and unable to win more than four games each time.
The Road Warriors, however, are coming along in the currently running Governors’ Cup and actually making a strong case as a team to contend with in the season-ending PBA tournament.
As of this writing, NLEX is sporting a 4-1 record which could have easily been 5-0 if not for a narrow 98-94 loss to the San Miguel Beermen in Dubai last week.
The record it has right now tied its total wins in the Philippine Cup (4-7) and surpassed what it had in the Commissioners’ Cup (3-8).
No doubt about it, what is doing it for the Road Warriors this time around is that it is now a “fully functioning” team able to put up a sustained fight.
In the previous two conferences they did compete and left everything on the floor but for one reason or another simply could not keep it up for much of the time and go over the hump.
Having coach Yeng Guiao and erstwhile missing player Kiefer Ravena back has certainly done wonders for the team.
With Coach Yeng around full time after doing double duty with Gilas Pilipinas previously, the Road Warriors are moving with better direction.
Not that the NLEX deputies did a horrible job while Coach Yeng was away, but with the head coach back in harness and steering the team, it obviously has a firmer grip of what it has in its arsenal and what it wants to get from each and everyone in the roster — enhanced by that incendiary Guiao style of coaching.
And it is hard to argue with the result so far.
Ravena, out for some 18 months because of the suspension slapped on him by FIBA for testing positive for a prohibited substance found during the FIBA World Cup Qualifiers which was blamed on a pre-workout drink he took, has been a boon to NLEX in his return, further shoring up its backcourt.
To date, Ravena has been all-around for the Road Warriors in the Governors’ Cup with numbers of 18.6 points, 9.4 assists, 7.2 rebounds and 1.4 steals per contest. Player of the conference-worthy? You bet!
His steady stellar play has worked well with those of backcourt mates Philip Paniamogan (11.6 ppg), Kenneth Ighalo (9.6 ppg), Jericho Cruz (8.6 ppg) and Larry Fonacier (6.2 ppg).
Complementing well the play of their backcourt are the frontliners led by import Olu Ashaolu.
The returning NLEX reinforcement has fitted well in the system of Coach Yeng.
While not as flashy and explosive as the other imports in tow, Ashaolu is a workhorse who provides what the team needs and in some cases at the most opportune of times at that.
He is averaging 22.6 points, 12.2 rebounds and three assists per game but his impact definitely goes beyond those numbers. Having him come early to train with the team has also gone a long way.
JR Quiñahan (11.4 ppg) and Poy Erram (11 ppg and 2 bpg) have also been delivering accordingly for the team with upside still there, particularly the latter who is making his way back from an arm injury suffered in their tournament opener against the Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters.
Collectively the Road Warriors, too, are determined to shed that underachieving ways they have had of late, something that should serve them well not only in the ongoing tournament but beyond as well.
At the current rate things are going, NLEX should be there in the mix come the playoffs with the potential to go deeper.
A sea-change alright in the Governors’ Cup for the Road Warriors; something I am sure their supporters are basking in.
Michael Angelo S. Murillo has been a columnist since 2003. He is a BusinessWorld reporter covering the Sports beat.
