MANILA, Philippines – As competitive as the new season of the PBA D-League promises to be, NLEX and recent champion Blackwater still emerged as the teams to beat when the Aspirants Cup unfolds this Thursday.
The Road Warriors were winners of the league’s first four conferences until the Elite pulled off the stunner when it seized the 2013 Foundation Cup last June.
And having that championship experience gives the two teams edge over the other 12 teams competing.
“[Team to beat] I think it’s very obvious, it’s the team who played in the finals last conference. I’m not underestimating the other teams but matagal-tagal na silang magkakasama [they’ve been together for quite sometime],” said Big Chill head coach Robert Sison referring to NLEX and Blackwater.
Elite coach Leo Isaac accepted the favorite tag on his team but also said that every team has the opportunity to win.
“I think it’s understandable when you win a championship, the following conference you’re being looked at as one of the favorites,” said Isaac during the PSA forum held at Shakey’s Malate Tuesday. “I should say everybody will have a fair chance. This is going to be an exciting conference.”
“The players are just confident being on a champion team and I think that’s the advantage of our team and NLEX,” Isaac added.
NLEX assistant coach Adonis Tierra also shares the same thoughts as Isaac in the coming Aspirants Cup, where the Road Warriors are defending champions.
“Last year we learned our lesson after we didn’t get the five peat,” said Tierra, who filled in for head coach Boyet Fernandez. “It’s going to be tough now because the teams are balanced.”
NLEX is set to lose RR Garcia and Nico Salva, who are expected to be drafted and signed after the two applied for this coming PBA Draft, and Blackwater too may lose its key players Justin Chua and Rob Celiz to the Rookie Draft.
And while Tierra admitted that the possibility of losing some of their players coupled with its core of San Beda players still playing in the NCAA are some of NLEX’s concerns, Isaac remained upbeat on his team’s chances.
“We have a positive outlook on our lineup even if they’re drafted. We still have the same goal of retaining and getting this back-to-back championship. We always practice good habits so not a doubt. We’re all geared towards one goal. It’s also good that we aspire for back to back and the players are cooperating very well and putting all their best in our practices. Tama lang peak ng players The players are peaking just right – before our first game,” Isaac said.
What worries Isaac though, is preparing his players’ mindset for a grueling conference ahead with the league expanding to 14 teams, seven of which are school-based.
But as NLEX and Blackwater get much of the attention, other teams like Big Chill and Boracay Rum, which will be parading crack guard Chris Banchero, are not to be overlooked.
The Superchargers may not have Terrence Romeo, who also made himself available for the Draft but they seemed to have addressed the situation in landing Perpetual Help’s Juneric Baloria, one of the NCAA’s top guards.
“Malaking bagay sa amin yon when Terrence Romeo decided to join the draft and it’s a challenge for the other players to fill in the void,” said Sison. “I think he [Baloria] will be a good addition to the team.”
Big Chill also bolstered its frontcourt, which Sison thinks is the team’s weakness in the previous season.
“We decided to go tall because that’s what we didn’t have the last 2 conferences. We’ve added Dexter Maiquez, Rodney Brondial and Michael Miranda. We were also able to acquire PBA free agent Reil Cervantes so I think we have a decent lineup.”
UAAP stars Roi Sumang and Bobby Ray Parks Jr. are also set to make their PBA D-League debut. Sumang will be suiting up for Cebuana Lhuillier, which is tied up with University of the East, while Parks will lead the BDO-NU squad.
The new D-League season opens with a double-header starting at 2 p.m. featuring Café France and Cagayan Valley and new teams Deruelo Accelero and Zambales M-Builders pitting against each other at Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.