Yeng Guiao admitted to having this weird feeling, but it was just the kind of feeling that validates how he has turned NLEX around.
The Road Warriors stayed unbeaten in the PBA Governors’ Cup after outlasting Guiao’s former team, Rain or Shine, 122-114, in double overtime as Kevin Alas redeemed himself from a “stupid mistake” that almost cost NLEX the game in the first extension at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday night.
Alas hit the go-ahead layup with 2:51 left for 113-112, and then fed Larry Fonacier for the triple that wrapped it all up with 58.9 remaining as NLEX won a third straight game and grabbed the solo lead momentarily.
“It’s an awkward feeling, beating that team,” Guiao said. “Sometimes, I still feel I’m the coach of that team. I haven’t gotten over that 100 percent. I still feel that’s my team and they’re my boys. But I have to get used to that,” Guiao said.
Perhaps the feeling wouldn’t go away because Guiao left a winning program in Rain or Shine and is now beginning to develop a winning culture with NLEX.
“This is a testament to the progress we have made,” Guiao said as the Road Warriors’ winning streak is now actually five games dating back to their final two games in the Commissioner’s Cup where the team made changes by trading for several players.
Alas almost threw the game away by fouling Chris Tiu in a jump ball that resulted in two free throws for the Rain or Shine guard for a 110-108 lead with 6.3 seconds left.
After Guiao called him out during the timeout for that “stupid” foul, Alas connected on a floating layup off Beau Belga to forge the second extension. He finished with a career-high 24 points and had 10 rebounds.
In the second game, GlobalPort survived a strong challenge from Phoenix in the stretch to hammer out a 100-91 victory and barge into the win column.