YENG Guiao is not one to sugarcoat things, and the veteran coach was in no mood to do so after news leaked out that NLEX star Kiefer Ravena has left for Japan to work on his papers ahead of his stint in the Japan B.League.
Guiao laid down the hard facts on the table: Ravena left to facilitate his working papers in Japan, which is in a state of national emergency after Covid-19 cases spiked during the Tokyo Olympics, to be eligible to play as an Asian import for the Shiga Lakestars.
Although Ravena will head home once the process is complete, Guiao figured that all things considered - 14-day quarantine in Japan, plus a minimum seven-day quarantine in the Philippines - his best player at NLEX will be out for a good month.
How bad would that be?
"Considering he is our best player and also our team leader, well, it's like losing your right hand," the many-time champion coach deadpanned. "It's like our right hand was chopped off."
Major blow for Road Warriors
With the compressed PBA Philippine Cup season set to hold five playdates a week once it resumes in Pampanga, Guiao reckons Ravena may have no games to play once he comes back if NLEX doesn't get as far as the semifinals.
That no doubt will be a major blow for the Road Warriors, who looked a lot better than their 2-2 (win-loss) record reflects, thanks to a lineup that may be lacking in star power but certainly not in terms of depth and fighting spirit.
Ravena stands at the head of this feisty bunch that has also seen impressive performances from comebacking Kevin Alas (No. 3 scorer in the league), Jericho Cruz, new recruit Don Trollano and top rookie pick Calvin Oftana.
Without a doubt, Guiao said Ravena was in the best shape of his career entering this season and that has shown in NLEX's games.
The former Ateneo King Eagle was averaging 15.75 points, 6.5 assists, 3.75 rebounds, and 1.75 steals a game and leading the league with a 42.3-percent clip from three-point range when the season was halted after Metro Manila reverted to Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ) on August 1.
His assists average was also second only to TNT star guard Jayson Castro's league-best 6.7-per-game average.
"He was in great shape entering the season," Guiao said of his starting guard. "And he was also in a better frame of mind this year than he was in the last bubble, so that has shown in our games."
As NLEX camped out at Supia Resort inside the Clark Freeport and Economic Zone in Angeles City in preparation for the season restart at the Don Honorio Ventura State University (DHVSU) gym in Pampanga, Guiao is counting on Alas and Co. to step up in Ravena's absence.
"We need to grow a right hand," Guiao said.
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