NLEX Road Warriors’ Anthony Semerad. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—If Wednesday’s win was any indication, NLEX will definitely have a big role for Anthony Semerad come the next season of the PBA.
In the Road Warriors’ 97-84 win over TNT in the PBA on Tour, Semerad spearheaded NLEX to the victory with 23 points—15 of which came from the third quarter alone.
“He’s always in shape and he’s hardworking. You can see that Tony is in the gym everyday and it’s paying off,” lauded coach Frankie Lim at San Juan Arena. “He has been out for a while because of some injuries but at least, my rotation gets better with him around. He’s a big help for us.”
Semerad also acknowledged the Road Warriors’ victory that put them at a 5-5 record.
“We work on this every single day in practice. We’re dreaming about it (wins) and it’s just from everyday practice,” he said.
Semerad had a fair-weathered PBA Governors’ Cup stint last season, only posting norms of 9.4 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.
NLEX Road Warriors’ Anthony Semerad. –PBA IMAGES
However, the preseason has served as a beacon of opportunity for the forward with Semerad averaging 19.5 markers and 3.5 boards per game.
His improvement has certainly gained Lim and the NLEX coaching staff’s trust for a possible a big role come PBA Season 48.
“I trust him. I know he can play, make shots and defend, those are the most important things for me. When you’re enforced, you have to be able to contribute and not hurt the team when you’re inside. Tony can do that so it’s no problem for me,” Lim.
For the veteran tactician, the way Semerad impacts the game makes it easier for him to be enforced inside the playing court.
The Road Warriors will be fueled by the San Beda product in the regular season as he “makes the squad’s rotation better.”
“[He’s] a big factor. He’s going to play a couple of spots and he can also play other positions. Like I said, my rotation really gets better with him,” said Lim.
NLEX caps off its On Tour stint when they face off against Ginebra at Ynares Sports Center, Pasig on Sunday.