LIKE his counterparts in the field, NLEX coach Yeng Guiao has the coronavirus threat as a gnawing concern.
That unease, exacerbated by the absence of a prized player, is something Guiao and the Road Warriors must have to deal with when tangle with Alaska today in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
In the other match, Rain or Shine tries to make it two in a row and improve to 5-3 against a Phoenix Super LPG crew bristling to cut short a two-game slide and start its climb from a 1-4 slate.
Should the Road Warriors show little ill effects of their long layoff and follow up their 108-94 win over Terrafirma last July 25, they would improve to 3-2, solidify their spot among the top eight and enhance their chances of hitting their initial target of making the quarterfinals.
Alaska should prove to be a tough nut to crack, however, with the Aces bidding to get back on track after an 80-89 loss to Meralco last July 30 and from there continue improving their 2-3 card.
Guiao expressed some trepidation, noting all the teams have yet to recover fully from the long layoff brought about by the tournament being put on hold last Aug. 4 due to Metro Manila being put on a virtual lockdown following an uptick in virus cases.
All the teams finally got back to the practice courts only last Monday after being given permission by Pampanga Gov. Delfin Pineda to and play in the province.
Then came the news Tuesday that NorthPort has been placed on health and safety protocols following Monday’s mandatory swab testing that prevented the Batang Pier from seeing action.
That report, confirmed but not elaborated on by Commissioner Willie Marcial, only added to Guiao’s concerns.
“It’s a struggle just trying to get back rhythm and timing, but I know all other teams have the same problem. The excitement of the resumption of the games more than compensates for the difficulties we encounter,” said Guiao.
“We have two fronts to battle other than opposing teams. We have to battle the virus itself; staying negative from the virus is as important as competing itself. You are only as good as your last swab test.”
And then there’s the matter of Kiefer Ravena’s absence as he is currently in Japan sorting out the requirements needed for him to play in the Japan B. League as an import following the Philippine Cup.
“This (game) is also a character check for us since we are trying to cope with the absence of our top player in Kiefer Ravena,” Guiao said of his ace playmaker who has four-game averages of 15.75 points, anchored on a league-leading 42.3 percent clip from beyond the arc, 6.5 assists, 3.75 rebounds and 1.75 steals.
