NLEX makes ‘little improvement’ on mental toughness

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

NLEX head coach Yeng Guiao still hasn’t seen the mental toughness that has been the trademark of his previous teams in the PBA in the Road Warriors.

Guiao won seven titles with mental fortitude as a staple in those championship reigns with Swift, Red Bull, and Rain or Shine.

“We have the physical ability, but when it comes to the mental side that’s where we lag behind,” said Guiao after his Road Warriors suffered a crippling 126-121 overtime loss to TNT at Mall of Asia Arena.

READ: Alas takes blame for NLEX’s loss to TNT

“I’ve been with the team for five, six months and I’ve been expecting they’d be a little tougher, more mature, but that has been my disappointment. From the first day I got here and now, there’s been little improvement on the mental side.”

The Road Warriors had firm control over the KaTropa for most of the game, even putting up an 89-60 lead early in the third quarter.

NLEX was able to surpass the century mark in the penultimate quarter with a 101-83 lead over TNT but everything crumbled in the fourth and overtime periods when the KaTropa ran the Road Warriors aground.

READ: TNT rallies back to pip NLEX in OT

TNT outscored NLEX, 43-20, in that stretch as the Road Warriors succumbed to their fifth straight loss in five games.

“We still lack the ability to close out games, make the right decisions, control our nerves, and be able to make the big plays,” said Guiao.

“It’s the lack of maturity, lack of character, and we’ve been struggling to close out games.”