By REYNALD MAGALLON
NLEX mentor Jimmy Alapag cherished a full-circle moment, having to face his former team TNT and coach Chot Reyes in the Road Warriors’ 88-83 win on Tuesday, Aug. 4.
Alapag, who became the first rookie coach to guide his team to a 6-0 record according to PBA chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III, said it was an honor to coach against Reyes, who he not only shared a championship with in the TNT franchise but also a number of memorable moments in Gilas.
“It’s always an honor when you get a chance to coach against one of the best, right?,” said Alapag.
“I think Coach Chot’s resume speaks for itself — not just his success in the PBA, but also with the Gilas program,” he added.
And TNT’s tough stand against NLEX despite missing most of his key players just proved Reyes’ caliber as a coach, according to Alapag.
“It’s no surprise he has TNT playing where they are even with so many key guys down. It’s a credit to him and their staff,” Alapag pointed out.
Coaching against TNT certainly brings back memories for Alapag as he was not only up against his former coach but also long-time teammates Ranidel de Ocampo and Ryan Reyes who are now all part of the Tropang 5G coaching staff.
“I think it shows our age kasi pagtingin sa ibang bench, you have Coach Ranidel, Coach Ryan Reyes,” the 48-year-old coach said in jest.
“But again, I got so much love for those guys. We had a lot of special memories together, a lot of battles. And it’s great to see them make this transition into coaching. A lot of love for those guys and that doesn’t change,” added Alapag.
