MANILA—Fired up by their emphatic Game 1 victory, the NLEX Road Warriors hope to wrap up the PBA D-League Foundation Cup today when they gun for a sweep of the Cebuana Lhuillier Gems at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
The Road Warriors took the series opener, 76-62, behind a fluid offensive game but remain wary of a strong comeback by the Gems in their 3 p.m. showdown.
Game 1 was a physical encounter and NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez expects it to be a little more heated in today’s showdown with the Gems’ backs against the wall.
“We know it’s going to be a lot tougher,” said Fernandez, a former champion coach in the PBA with the now defunct Sta. Lucia Realty.
Fernandez had no complaints with the way his Road Warriors performed Tuesday. They suffocated the Gems’ shooters with an airtight defense and used their athleticism to the hilt for easy baskets.
Not even the physical play by the Gems could stifle the Road Warriors’ torrid attack.
“Cebuana is a strong team,” said Fernandez of the Gems, who scored 13 points off fastbreaks and 17 off turnovers.
“They have the right tools to launch a comeback and tie the series. So we have to be prepared and be more focused.”
Ronald Pascual led the Road Warriors with 17 points and Cliff Hodge added 10 as NLEX drew contributions from almost everyone else on the squad.
In contrast, only Allein Maliksi finished in double figures for the Gems.
The Gems, meanwhile, tried almost everything to unsettle the Road Warriors and Ariel Mepana, the rugged forward, just dodged a suspension for his cheap shots on NLEX standout Calvin Abueva.
Though he wasn’t called for a flagrant foul, Mepana was assessed a P7,400 fine by league commissioner Chito Salud after the league reviewed the game tape.