THE perfect season of the Nueva Ecija Rice Vangaurds will be put to a daunting test when they host arch-rival and co-title favorites Abra Solid North Weavers this coming Saturday at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum in Palayan City.
Dubbed by fans as the ‘Clash of the Titans’, the Nueva Ecija-Abra showdown is considered a preview of the Northern Conference Finals of the MPBL, even if defending two-time champion Pampanga isn't involved.
The Novo Ecijanos are currently toting an impressive 18-0 win-loss card while the Abranons are half a game behind at 17-1, their only loss a 60-70 upset at the hands of the Pasay Voyagers back last March 19.
READ Basilan boosts playoff hopes with arrival of Greg Slaughter
But for Rice Vanguards team manager Ivan Cuevas, son of the team’s patron Bong Cuevas, their team can be considered an underdog in the face-off since Abra is laden with top amateur players like Dave Ildefonso, big man Geo Chiu and former PBA scorers Encho Serrano, Leo Najorda, Mark Yee and Yousef Taha.
“They are tougher, their single loss shouldn’t be a basis. Abra has superstars who played abroad, we have limited of those. I don’t think we can match them on that aspect,” said the young Cuevas.
“But I don’t think our players will just back down. Individually, one on one, I think our players are up there on that same level. So, we’ll see about the game,” he said.
Asked if he thinks Abra is peaking at the right time and might be a tough nut to crack for Nueva Ecija, Cuevas gave a quick reply.
“I don’t think we are inferior to them. Basketball is still a team sport, and we play as a team, it’s all about the team,” he said while rattling off the team’s key players in Robbie Celiz, Kenneth Mocon, Will McAloney, twins Jayvee and Jaycee Marcelino and PBA veteran John Wilson.
READ N Ecija beefs up roster with Nick Demusis, JP Calvo signings
Looking to add another major basketball to the 2022 MPBL title that the Rice Vanguards won, Cuevas hopes that this year will be very kind to Nueva Ecija basketball.
“What we feel about this team is it is really different now, we really feel there is something different about this team. The composition of the team, the bond between the players and coaching staff, I think we have a good chance of winning it this year and we just want to stay focused,” said the soft-spoken Cuevas.
Meanwhile, Nueva Ecija coach Don Dulay bared how he has long been preparing his players for this Abra game, which is why he is focusing more on pressure defense.
“We played San Juan already, Pampanga, Pangasinan, all the tough teams in the North, we’re waiting for Abra, but we’re also waiting for Quezon too, down south. They are just some of the teams we’re preparing for,” Dulay said.
“We’re excited to meet them (Abra), it’s a possible (North finals) match-up, and we want to see how we do against them. But of course, one game is not gonna win it all. This will be a good test for us,” added the former Rain or Shine guard.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
