It seems the dawn of a new PBA conference and the presence of a new yet familiar face on the sidelines breathed new life into the NLEX Road Warriors. Jimmy Alapag’s head coaching debut was off to a rousing start as the Road Warriors pulled off three successive victories in as many PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup games. 

NLEX was aggressive from the jump, pushing the pace on offense while forcing the Macau Giant Pandas to take ill-advised shots. The Giant Pandas never really got momentum to stay in stride with the Road Warriors, who were simply firing on all cylinders. 

However, a greater test came for NLEX against the Terrafirma Dyip, who pushed the Road Warriors to the brink of defeat only for NLEX to snatch it back at the last second. 

There wasn’t enough time for the Road Warriors to catch their breath, as they faced the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, but they had no problems blowing past another opponent. 

Unlike other teams that will still begin their Governors’ Cup campaigns this week, NLEX has already played a sizable chunk of their preliminary round schedule, which would have been a nightmare situation for a team in a transition period. The Road Warriors did not seem fazed and have adjusted well to their schedule and the new coach. Though it can be said that NLEX’s schedule is compact yet on the lighter side, victories are nonetheless victories. 

Of course, the Road Warriors are not exactly building from the ground up and that must have been a factor for Alapag apart from the opportunity to contribute to Gilas Pilipinas and a chance to bring his family.  

It remains to be seen how long Alapag will remain with NLEX for the long haul or just a few conferences. Apart from Chot Reyes, the coaches within the MVP group tend to move around, especially when their preferred teams need a shot in the arm. Of course, Alapag’s performance in the Governors’ Cup so far could put him into consideration for the other teams, but a whole season with the Road Warriors would be more appropriate before making any drastic changes. 

The door may also remain open for Jimmy Alapag to make a return to the NBA, especially if his stint with the NLEX Road Warriors leads to a championship. Tim Cone and Ariel Vanguardia have had summer league stints in the past, but none of them have had the experience of Alapag, who has already spent around five years in NBA coaching circles. Name recall won’t be difficult for Alapag, especially if he has the body of work to show for it. For now, the NBA can wait as Alapag is out to carve his own path back home.