ROBERT Bolick has a new head coach after a breakout conference where he was one of the top candidates for Best Player of the Conference in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner's Cup.
NLEX head coach Jimmy Alapag is excited to work with Bolick, and the new shot-caller intends to bring out the best in his star guard.
“He’s been an elite guard in the league for quite some time,” Alapag said of Bolick. “But I’m going to try to push him to see if he can be even better.”
In being one of the top candidates for BPC last conference, Bolick is also running second in the MVP race with 26.7 average statistical points (SPs), behind nine-time winner June Mar Fajardo of San Miguel with 29.8.
Bolick led the league in average SPs with 38.9 during the Comm's Cup, all while helping the Road Warriors secure the playoff top seed following an elimination round where they won all but two of their 12 games.
Even after averaging 19.8 points, 5.1 rebounds, 8.2 assists, and 1.6 steals, however, NLEX's campaign was cut shor by losing in the quarterfinals to eighth seed TNT.
Jimmy and Berto
The Road Warriors will look to bounce back from that early exit, and Alapag said Bolick will, of course, be key in a play for, at the very least, the franchise's third semifinals berth.
“Even if he can be even a little bit better, it’s not just going to be great for him, but it’s going to be great for the team,” the former player development coach of the Sacramento Kings said.
Bolick gets back to business on Friday, with NLEX opening the Governors’ Cup against Macau Giant Pandas.
“I’m only doing it because I know he’s capable. I’m excited to get started,” Alapag said.
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