NLEX remains the only unbeaten squad in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup, thanks to new head coach Jimmy Alapag’s calming presence and guidance. Racking five straight wins through the first three weeks of the competition, the Road Warriors look to stretch that further when the Alapag-mentored squad plays defending champion TNT on Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Game time is at 7:30 p.m. with Alapag facing off with the same team he led to six championships during his checkered PBA career before delving into coaching.
This will be the first time the former crack playmaker-turned-coach faces TNT since taking over the head coaching chores for NLEX last July.
NLEX is coming off a 119-107 triumph over the free-falling Converge five recently for a league-best 5-0 record.
But Alapag’s squad will be going up against a TNT side that is coming off a huge 93-89 overtime win against powerhouse San Miguel Beer.
Coach Chot Reyes, a known motivator, has been getting the best from his gritty bunch as the team has gone up to 3-2 despite playing without injured veterans Calvin Oftana, Jayson Castro and Brandon Gabriela’s-Rosser.
Evergreen big man Kelly Williams has also yet to play as he attends to some personal matters in the United States.
Schonny Winston, one of Alapag’s main weapons, knows they have a long way to go as far their long-term goal is concerned.
“We’ll stay humble, knowing it’s still a long season to go and there’s a lot of hard work to do,” Winston said.
Meanwhile, Macau hopes to ride on the momentum of its back-to-back wins when it battles Titan Ultra anew in their Group A matchup.
The Giant Pandas enter their 5:15 p.m. carrying a 2-4 record. A third straight win will allow them to hang within the coattails of Converge (3-3) in Group A.
The foreign guest squad managed to secure its first win in the tournament, courtesy of its 132-126 decision against the same Titan Ultra squad last July 25.
Curiously, the Giant Pandas got their first win during the Commissioner’s Cup with the team, then carrying the Black Knights moniker, beat the Giant Risers to end their 0-7 start.
Titan Ultra is teetering in the brink of elimination, dropping to 1-5 last week after suffering a 143-105 demolition at the hands of SMB.
