The “Mighty Mouse” Jimmy Alapag is back, but this time as a coach and not strut his stuff on the court.
And his presence also marks the beginning of a new chapter for the NLEX Road Warriors as Alapag makes his coaching debut with the team against the Macau Giant Pandas in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup opener on Friday, July 10, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The Road Warriors take on Macau in the 7:30 p.m. main game, with Alapag looking to set the tone early for a squad seeking redemption after a frustrating end to its previous conference.
NLEX topped the Commissioner’s Cup eliminations but failed to capitalize on its twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals, bowing out against sister team TNT Tropang 5G. This time, the Road Warriors hope a new system and renewed mentality can help them make a deeper run.
“New conference, new mindset,” a team insider said. “Coach Jimmy wants us to play with a chip on our shoulder.”
Returning import DeQuan Jones will reinforce NLEX in its Governors’ Cup campaign. Jones, who averaged more than 28 points in his previous PBA stint, is expected to give the Road Warriors a reliable scoring option and familiarity with the league.
But much of the attention will be on how Alapag, a TNT and Gilas Pilipinas legend, manages the team from the sidelines and maximizes a local core led by Robert Bolick and Kevin Alas.
Macau, meanwhile, enters the conference with something to prove.
The Giant Pandas will be led by new import De’Vondre Perry, a 6-foot-6 swingman from the University at Albany who last played in Germany’s ProA league. Perry is one of eight new imports seeing action in the conference and will try to make an immediate impact against an NLEX team eager to move past its playoff collapse.
Macau is also looking for a stronger showing after a difficult previous campaign. Playing as the Black Knights last conference, the guest team managed only three wins in 12 games and missed the playoffs.
For NLEX, the game is more than just a season opener. It is the first test of whether Alapag’s leadership, championship experience, and competitive edge being a former player development coach for the NBA team Sacramento Kings can translate into a sharper and more resilient Road Warriors squad.
NLEX and Macau are grouped with TNT, San Miguel Beer, Converge, Titan Ultra, and Terrafirma. The top four teams from each group will advance to the crossover quarterfinals.