New franchise, new teammates, same coach
For the last three years, Wayne Chism has been the go-to reinforcement for coach Yeng Guiao. The 2015 Commissioners Cup Best Import had helped lead the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to the Finals of that conference.
And when Guiao, who is now coaching the upstart NLEX Road Warriors, called for help, the 29-year-old answered.
In his first game with NLEX, the 6-foot-9 big man played 40 minutes, finishing the game with 27 points, 21 rebounds, and two blocks. However, the Road Warriors fell to the Elasto Painters, 113-105.
“Wayne was a lot of help…and he had to play forty minutes. And I don’t play my import forty minutes,” said Guiao.
But he needed to do so to keep the Road Warriors in the game against the defending champions.
“I think kailangan siyang mag-stay sa court ng mas mahaba, not only because he scores, rebounds, and defends, but we need leadership inside, so we’re more stable with him inside,” Guiao furthered.
Chism did not mind playing those minutes, though, as he enjoyed every minute he was on the court, competing against the team he had played for these last three years.
Photo courtesy of PBA Images
“It was a good time, I had fun playing against them. They played hard and they play as a team, as usual,” said the native of Jackson, Tennessee.
“I’m happy that I was out there with them, just on the opposite side.”
Even if the game did not end in their favor, Chism believes that this is just a taste of the potential of this batch of Road Warriors.
“We have a lot of improvements to do but this shows what we have as a team,” Chism reflected.
“It was good that we fought until the end instead of giving up and backing out of the game. We fought until the end and we just made mistakes in the end.”
And he knows that only good things will happen once the chemistry develops.
“The difference is I’m with a whole new crew but with the same coach.
“The only thing is we need to jell as a team and be more develop more chemistry to be good to go,” he declared.
