By REYNALD MAGALLON
NLEX head coach Jong Uichico refused to offer any excuses as his team once again botched a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals after losing to TNT in two-straight games.
The Road Warriors came into the playoffs as the top seed and up against the eight seeded Tropang 5G. Still, despite the advantage, NLEX just couldn’t get over the hump and reach the semifinals.
“Ang daming weapon against us. Maraming napupuntahan ang TNT. I was outcoached by Chot trying to find those mismatches,” Uichico told reporters after the game.
But it really seemed like the Road Warriors were ill-fated when holding the twice-to-beat armor. They have now lost thrice when armed with such an advantage and won only once in their four tries to get into the semis through such a situation.
Like in their most recent blunder, their first time saw NLEX hold a twice-to-beat advantage by becoming the first seed in the 2019 Governors’ Cup.
Then led by Kiefer Ravena, they were pitted against the eighth seeded NorthPort which took them down twice — the last of which became an instant classic after the Batang Pier won the thrilling triple-overtime duel.
NLEX once again held the advantage in 2021 when this time, it managed to survive a tough stand from lower-seeded Alaska. The Aces, however, did not go down without a fight as they forced the do-or-die Game 2 before losing steam and allowing the Road Warriors to advance to the next round.
The last two happened under the tutelage of Uichico and with Robert Bolick as the main man.
The first when NLEX failed to close out the quarterfinals series against Rain or Shine, despite holding the twice-to-beat incentive. Jhonard Clarito put together a massive 20-point, 21-rebound performance to force the rubber match before Santi Santilla torched the Road Warriors with 24 in the second game.
And then just last Saturday, the Road Warriors found the Tropang 5G too tough to crack as Bol Bol finally got solid contributions from his local stars RR Pogoy, Calvin Oftana and Jayson Castro.
Although still licking the wounds from the tough break, Uichico tried to focus on the positives, hoping that if NLEX can only be consistent in getting the twice-to-beat edge, the team would eventually find a way to get over the hump.
“We can remain consistent this way, sooner or later, makaka-advance din kami sa semis. If we are consistent in the top four, We’re getting stronger, or we are doing something correct,” said Uichico
“Hopefully, if we are consistent in the top four, then makakaahon kami sa ganitong sitwasyon.”
