JIMMY Alapag makes his much-awaited coaching debut as NLEX faces off with foreign guest team Macau in the opening day of the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
The former PBA playmaker and Gilas Pilipinas mainstay is coming off a three-year stint with the Sacramento Kings where he served as player development coach.
In his return, Alapag hopes to bring his vast NBA coaching experience to the underachieving NLEX team which tangles with foreign team Macau at 7:30 p.m.
NLEX will be reinforced by returning import DeQuan Jones, who played for the Road Warriors in the same conference during Season 49 as a mid-tournament replacement for Myke Henry.
Alapag, a six-time PBA champion as a player, has built a solid reputation as coach, having led the San Miguel-backed Alab Pilipinas to the championship during the 2018 Asean Basketball League season.
Alapag is taking the spot of nine-time PBA champion Jong Uichico, who led NLEX to the top seed in the Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup, but lost twice to eventual conference runner-up TNT in their quarterfinal duel.
In the 5:30 p.m. curtain raiser, Titan Ultra and Terrafirma square off with both squads trying to get off to a strong start in Group A, where they are bracketed along with TNT, San Miguel Beer, Converge, NLEX and Macau.
Group B includes Barangay Ginebra, Rain or Shine, Magnolia, Meralco, Phoenix Super LPG and Blackwater.
Squads in their respective groups play each other two times in the elimination round.
