NOT too long ago, Jimmy Alapag was sharing a high-scoring backcourt partnership with Jayson Castro at TNT.
Now, he’s witnessing the same thing happening right before his very eyes at NLEX.
The duo of Robert Bolick and Schonny Winston exploded and accounted for half of the Road Warriors’ points in a 124-117 win over Phoenix for a commanding 2-0 lead in their PBA 50th Season Governors' Cup quarterfinal series.
Bolick and Winston each had 31 points on a combined 18-of-29 shooting from the field, including 6-of-9 together from three-point range.
Now that seemed to be a replication of the Alapag-Castro alliance with TNT in the past where both of them can switch on the light together and punish the opposition with their inside and outside shooting together.
Alapag had a big smile on his face when reminded about it.
“You know it’s funny that was a long, long time ago. Jayson and I had some special memories,” said the NLEX coach.
But like that legendary tandem which produced four championships together with the telecommunication franchise, Alapag believes Bolick and Winston will eventually carved their own niche in the league.
“I think Schonny and Berto will make their own history together,” he noted. “I thought they showcased not just their talent and their ability, but I think their growth as a backcourt, leaning on some of the experiences they went through last conferences and carrying that forward to where we are right now.”
NLEX's dynamic duo
Winston just came on board NLEX only last conference during the Commissioner’s Cup following a trade with Converge primarily with big man Jonnel Policarpio.
The team finished as the top seeded team after the eliminations and enjoyed a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs against eighth-seeded TNT, only to bomb out in the quarterfinals after losing back-to-back games.
Now with Alapag at the helm, the Road Warriors also clinched the top spot in their group, but is now a win away from making it to the semis for the first time in four years.
And the former PBA MVP and Sacramento Kings Players Development coach believes Bolick and Winston clicking together will have a huge say on that.
“Again credit to both their talent and work ethic, both of them are high character guys who are all about winning. And that’s going to continue to help them to perform at a high level moving forward,” said Alapag.
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