Robert Bolick believes that NLEX has been toughened up enough by the playoff disappointments they suffered in the past that inexperience should no longer be an issue entering the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup semifinals in December.
“I think nag-mature na rin kami sa ilang beses kaming natatalo sa quarterfinals,” he offered after their 137-89 rout of Phoenix Super LPG to complete a three-game sweep of their quarterfinal series at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Saturday.
Some skeptics and naysayers are wondering how far this present-day Road Warriors team could go, as it would be the first ‘Final Four’ appearance for the squad except for veterans Kevin Alas, Tony Semerad, and Matt Nieto.
The three were part of the last NLEX batch that reached the semis, during the Governors’ Cup of the short 2021-22 season. The squad was then under Yeng Guiao and ultimately bowed to eventual champions Barangay Ginebra, 1-3.
Even Bolick himself is bound for only his first official semis. He was part of the NorthPort team that pulled off a magical run during the 2019-20 Governors’ Cup, but did not see action after suffering an ACL tear during the eliminations.
Now, the former third overall pick is all healthy and ready to go, although some cannot help but ask how he’d fare when the lights get brighter in the next stage.
But he’s firm in his belief that they’re all geared up to compete, having learned from their previous quarters losses in recent conferences in which they came in with a twice-to-beat advantage only to get beaten twice by legit contenders.
The latest of which was during the Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup, in which they got reversed by a TNT side headlined by the gigantic Bol Bol.
And that kind of faith he has stems from the change of mindset brought by no less than Jimmy Alapag to the team since becoming their coach last June.
(C) PBA Images
“Since pagdating ni Coach, ‘yung standard ng team namin, ‘yung tingin niya sa amin, parang quarters quarters [lang], hindi siya naniniwala ng ganun. Feeling niya kaya namin lahat,” said Bolick, who’s been with the team since 2023.
“Since pag-start niya, nagsimula ‘yung growth namin. Excited lang ako hindi lang para sa akin pero para sa teammates ko,” the BPC frontrunner added.
The former NBA player development coach himself believes, too, that they would do just fine even with the perceived inexperience of his charges.
“I think our team has grown throughout the conference,” Alapag offered. “I know people will say that this team hasn’t been to the semis, but I think yung growth nila, as we progressed through this conference, has been steady.
“I’m excited kasi ngayon dito sa semis, these guys will get an opportunity to reap the reward of all the work that they put in,” he added.
“Kahit sinong kalaban namin, Rain or Shine or Converge, another quality opponent. But again, we’ll continue to work, continue to find ways to improve, and prepare.”
The 31-year-old Bolick, in fact, has grown so confident of NLEX’s capabilities as a collective that they’re dreaming not only of the semis, but beyond.
“Ilang beses na kami nabigo, ngayon nakaabot na kami ng semis. Pero sabi nga ni Coach, bakit tayo mangangarap ng semis lang, kung kaya naman namin mag-Finals, e ‘di pangarapin na namin ‘yung pinakamataas,” he said.
“Wala namang bayad ‘yun.”
But then, the focus remains on the task at hand, and that’s the semis, where they will be battling the winner between Rain or Shine and Converge.
