NLEX head coach Yeng Guiao. Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
NLEX head coach Yeng Guiao on Friday said the Road Warriors are not immediately vying for the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, instead they will just have to focus on trying to improve from their dismal Philippine Cup.
The Road Warriors finished last in the All-Filipino Conference with a 2-9 record and Guiao said they just have to accomplish “humble objectives” before setting loftier goals.
READ: Guiao open to ‘start over’ if needed
“Just humble objectives, what we want is to improve ourselves… We’re not going to be ambitious and try to make the finals or even the semifinals,” said Guiao at the team’s practice venue at FCL Center. “Since we got eliminated in the last conference, so the next level would be to make the quarterfinals.”
“We’ll try to make the quarters and see if we can go higher. Humble objectives.”
Guiao added NLEX, which opens the PBA Commissioner’s Cup vs NLEX on March 17, should not only improve in its overall win-loss record this conference, but in its mental fortitude as well.
READ: Guiao: I’m not going to let up on the pressure
NLEX never established any rhythm in the Philippine Cup with a five-game losing streak making up the bulk of the middle part of its schedule and a four-game skid at the end.
The Road Warriors lost all their games by double digits and had an average deficit of 14.33 points.
Their biggest loss was a 26-point blowout at the hands of eventual champions San Miguel on Dec. 17.
“We should be able to toughen up mentally so we can finish games strong, finish quarters strong, and be able to gel and mesh this team,” said Guiao.