NLEX attributed the top seed in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup to the signing of Cady Lalanne, the addition of Schonny Winston, and the strong showing of Robert Bolick.
Lalanne and Winston joined the core led by Robert Bolick this conference and that mix led to the Road Warriors finishing with a 10-2 win-loss record and the No. 1 position in the elimination for just the second time in franchise history.
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NLEX coach Jong Uichico said Lalanne fits the team’s system built on chemistry, trust, and team-first basketball.
Lalanne averaged 26.0 points, 15.6 rebounds, and 2.3 blocks for the Road Warriors, while also shooting 49.6 percent from the field.
“What we really liked about Cady is his attitude,” said Uichico. “He’s very coachable and gets along with his teammates. His demeanor on the court also does not change much. He handles himself in a very professional manner.”
NLEX team governor Ronald Dulatre, on the other hand, said that team was built around continuity, but the opportunity to acquire Winston from Converge via a trade during the offseason was something that the Road Warriors couldn’t pass up.
Winston averaged 16.7 points during the elimination round, second-best in the team.
“We’re a big believer in keeping our core intact,” said Dulatre. “But when we had the opportunity to trade for Schonny Winston, we pulled the trigger because we knew he could have a big role for the team."
Aside from the two pick-ups, Bolick has played a huge part to NLEX’s success with averages of 20.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, 8.6 assists, and 1.8 steals this conference.
Bolick’s leadership and composure have also been on display with his winning plays either making shots or game-winning assists, particularly to Ljay Gonzales and JB Bahio during wins against Meralco and Rain or Shine respectively.
NLEX will now look to reach the semifinals and make use of its twice-to-beat edge as it faces No. 8 TNT on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. A knockout game, if needed, will be held on Saturday at the Ynares Center-Antipolo.
In a bid to continue building its team, NLEX recently conducted a team-building session in Batangas.
“We’re happy to finish at number one, but we’re not done yet,” said Uichico. “We need to put in more work to get to where we want to be.”
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