Trollano, Guiao both looking forward to reunion at NLEX
Don Trollano is now with NLEX. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO
MANILA, Philippines—Don Trollano is moving on to his fourth team in the PBA but he won’t be entering unfamiliar grounds.
The reliable forward was traded from Blackwater to NLEX in a deal that gave Tropang Giga the Road Warriors’ fourth pick in the draft.
He will be mentored by a familiar face as coach Yeng Guiao was his first mentor in the PBA when he arrived at Rain or Shine in his rookie year.
Under Guiao’s tutelage, Trollano played with Jericho Cruz and JR Quiñahan with the bunch winning the Commissioner’s Cup in 2016.
“I’m always motivated for every game I play in, then I was traded to coach Yeng’s team. The last time we were together we won the championship,” said Trollano in Filipino as per PBA.ph. “I hope we can repeat that. Then I’m with JR and Jericho so hopefully we can win again.”
It’s not just Trollano who’s looking forward to the reunion as Guiao is also as excited to have the 6-foot-3 forward anew.
“Whenever you succeed with a certain group, there’s always that bond, there’s always that memory of you doing good things together,” said Guiao. “I have that kind of attachment with the time I spent with Don.”
Guiao is also getting the best version of Trollano after the do-it-all wing averaged 14.2 points and 8.5 rebounds while shooting 37.6 percent from the field.
Trollano was usually the first guy off the bench during his tenure with the Tropang Giga and he consistently averaged around 10 points a game for the team in 2019.
“Don has improved a lot in terms of polishing his skills, his basketball IQ, even physically,” said Guiao. “He’s become bigger and stronger. He plays with a lot more maturity. He’s really improved a lot.”
