NLEX, Big Chill battle for last finals ticket

THE defending champions NLEX Road Warriors and their nemesis, the Big Chill Super Chargers will take the floor today vowing to give it their all as they battle for the last ticket to the finals in the PBA D-League Aspirants’ Cup over at the Ynares Sports Arena.

The winner of the 2 p.m. duel at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City earns the right to a titular showdown against finalist-in-waiting Freego Jeans.

The Super Chargers dominated the Road Warriors in Game 1, 83-66, and threatened to wrap up the best-of-three series when they rallied from a 24-point deficit in Game 2 only to come up short.

The Road Warriors are, no doubt, far more talented and more athletic of the two teams but their near meltdown in Game 2 cast doubt on their invincibility and ability to clinch their second straight championship. Certainly, poise and experience will make a difference in Game 3 and the Road Warriors showed a lot of it to survive Game 2, 69-62, and forced a sudden death.

NLEX is 1-2 against Big Chill this conference but coach Boyet Fernandez firmly believes the Road Warriors will win the game that mattered most to make finals.

The return of power forward Calvin Abueva in the rotation after serving a one-game suspension also provides a shot in the arm for the Foundation Cup champions, who seemed to have a tough time containing Big Chill’s frontcourt led by Jewel Ponferrada and Jesie Collado. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio