The road is starting to get tougher for the NLEX Road Warriors.
After starting the 2017-18 PBA Philippine Cup with a 2-0 record, the Road Warriors have been on a downward spiral. They have lost their last four outings, including an 86-97 loss to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Friday evening.
“We won our first two games so sabi nila siguro na ‘uy di pushover tong NLEX na ‘to.’ [But] We got full of ourselves na ‘okay kaya na natin manalo, kaya na natin kasi nakadalawang sunod na,’ So medyo nabaligtad,” recalled rookie Kiefer Ravena.
Down to a 2-4 slate, Ravena and the Road Warriors know that they need to bounce back. The problem is that they don’t know where to begin.
“Palalim ng palalim yung hukay,” rued the second generation cager after a lengthy post-game talk in the Road Warriors’ dugout, which took nearly two hours to finish.
“Pero we have to be positive. We have to be positive about this. I don’t know how.”
The Road Warriors have also not been playing as a unit in their games. Against the Elasto Painters, only three players scored in double figures: Jr Quiñahan with 22, Alex Mallari with 17, and Ravena with 14.
“We have to find a way to help each other out. It can’t be one or two guys stepping up every other game. We have to be consistent together as a team,” said the 6-foot combo guard, who dropped 31 points against Magnolia last January 14.
“Siguro kailangan lang namin maghanap ng paraan para manalo.”
Given their slump, the horizon for NLEX is becoming bleaker and bleaker. And it also doesn’t help that their next match is against the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.
The 24-year-old sees the utmost need for them to regain their bearings before it becomes too late.
“Nandun na kami sa stage na apat na yung talo mo kaya medyo mabigat, apat na sunod pa. Kalaban pa namin susunod Ginebra so we’ll see,” shared the second overall pick of the 2017 PBA Rookie Draft out of Ateneo de Manila.
“We have to take it day-by-day and figure out a way to get out momentum back, get our confidence back to play and win.”
– JB
