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NLEX staff captain Kevin Alas. PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—NLEX skipper Kevin Alas believed that regardless of the absence of one of many staff’s prime stars, the Street Warriors may’ve carried out extra within the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup.
Regardless of the sudden departure of Kiefer Ravena, who has gone on to play in Japan, the Street Warriors reached the quarterfinals and even pushed No. 2 Meralco to the brink of elimination.
“Personally, I do know we may’ve carried out extra although we didn’t have Kiefer however we made it into the do-or-die sport in opposition to Meralco and we may’ve carried out extra,” stated Alas, whose no.7 Street Warriors obtained handled a twice-to-win benefit in opposition to the Bolts.
“We may’ve carried out extra. Some say we’d’ve overachieved however I do know that we may’ve made it to the semifinals.”
NLEX dropped out of competition after a 97-86 loss to Meralco within the do-or-die match.
The early exit was a end result of a tumultuous marketing campaign for the Street Warriors, who needed to modify all of the sudden with the lack of one in all their performers in Ravena was launched from his PBA membership to hitch the Shiga Lakestars.
NLEX head coach Yeng Guiao. PBA IMAGES
Head coach Yeng Guiao admitted that the departure of Ravena, who was initially reported to return again to complete his obligations with NLEX after completing his requirements in Japan, caught the staff off guard.
“Shedding Kiefer halfway by the elimination spherical all the best way to our playoffs marketing campaign was robust,” stated Guiao in a press release posted on the staff’s web site. “It’s one thing we didn’t put together for.”
STEPPING UP
Ravena’s absence was drastically felt on the ground as he averaged team-highs of 15.75 factors, 6.5 assists, 1.75 steals, and a ten.00 plus/minus score.
However regardless of that, the Street Warriors turned a staff of revelation in the course of the playoff run, discovering a brand new star in rookie Calvin Oftana, who proved he isn’t afraid to take expenses and knock massive photographs down the stretch.
The third general choose within the 2020 Draft averaged 9.27 factors in 10 video games in the course of the eliminations however he turned an integral scoring choice for the Street Warriors within the essential video games close to the tip of the preliminaries and within the quarterfinals.
The 6-foot-5 Oftana averaged 14.4 factors, 6.0 rebounds, 1.0 block, and a 5.4 plus/minus in his final 5 video games with the Street Warriors together with a 34-point outburst in opposition to the Bolts in NLEX’s remaining sport of the eliminations the place he recorded a rookie-record eight three-pointers.
“Kiefer’s function is clearly enormous however there are others who stepped up within the alternative they got together with Calvin. He’s a star within the making along with his dribbling, scoring, and naturally his top,” stated Alas of Oftana.
The top might have regarded dim, however Guiao nonetheless recommended his gamers for benefiting from their staff’s marketing campaign.
“I contemplate our marketing campaign as first rate sufficient. We had been in a position to push Meralco, which is taken into account as one of many darkish horse groups within the match and has a respectable likelihood of creating it to the championship spherical and even successful the title, to the brink,” stated Guiao.
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