BACK in his college days at Letran, Kevin Alas was always on the losing end against Frankie Lim back when the latter was still head coach of San Beda in the NCAA.
Alas is happy they're now on the same side.
“Actually, 2009 to 2011, kalaban ko siya. Never ako nanalo ng isang game. Nanalo na lang ako nung pag-alis niya,” said Alas after NLEX won its second straight game of the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the expense of Blackwater, 105-102.
“It’s nice to be on the same side with coach Frankie dahil hindi ako manalo sa kanya nung college ako para ma-experience naman namin na magkasama,” added Alas.
[READ: NLEX comes back from 16-points down to deny Blackwater]
Despite being rivals, Alas said he has known Lim since he was a child back when Frankie and Alas' father Louie served as assistant coaches of Eric Altamirano at Purefoods in the nineties.
“Magkakasama na kami nila Melo,” said Alas, referring to Lim’s son Melo, who also played under his dad with the Red Lions in the NCAA, and will now be part of Frankie’s staff at NLEX.
Despite supervising practices over the past few days since his appointment was made official, Lim missed Friday’s game as he served a one-game suspension he incurred in 2015 as head coach of Barangay Ginebra.
Alas said the team is already growing accustomed to the system that Lim wants to put in place, which he thinks fits the personnel that NLEX has.
“Of course, looking forward ako sa sistema ni coach Frankie kasi gusto niya fast-paced style of play. Maganda para sa team namin,” he said.
Alas is happier that, despite a chaotic conference break, NLEX is right up there sharing the conference lead with foreign guest team Bay Area Dragons on 2-0 records.
“To be honest, wala akong expectations coming to this kasi siyempre, nagpa-practice kami, ang daming nangyayari," he said. "Sinabihan ko rin ‘yun mga teammates ko na may mga bagay na beyond our control. We have to be professional and work hard kasi may mga kontrata tayo, pinapasweldo tayo.
"True enough, mga professional sila at nagtrabaho. I guess lahat sila, nag-buy in sa sistema ni coach Frankie,” he added.
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