MVP candidate Lanete focused on winning championship for NLEX

Garvo Lanete of NLEX (dark) vs Jamil Gabawan and Philip Panamogan of Hogs Breath (light). Nuki Sabio/PBA

MANILA, Philippines — After missing two games and nearly three weeks of practice due to an injury, Garvo Lanete made up for lost time Tuesday.

Lanete wasted no time in announcing his return, scoring seven points early as he and guard Kevin Alas keyed in a strong start for the Road Warriors in a 25-point rout of Hog’s Breath in Game 1 of their PBA D-League Aspirants Cup semifinals series.

“He’s been shooting well. He just practiced on Sunday and my worry is his conditioning but credit to our staff, they were able to work on his conditioning,” said NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez.

“I’m just ready to play. I wasn’t able to practice with the team but I work everyday, I jog and practice on my shooting,” said Lanete in Filipino after scoring 23 points in just 21 minutes.

And Lanete’s hard work surely has been paying off with the former San Beda star, one of the favorites to win the MVP award, after leading NLEX to the top spot at the end of the elimination round.

But while winning the MVP award is a great accomplishment, Lanete, who came back from a shoulder injury, says, he won’t let that get in the way of the team’s ultimate goal.

“I’m just focused on winning the championship for our team and we have to make the finals first before anything else.”

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