Road Warriors, Rising Suns start D–league finals battle

Game Today (Ateneo Blue Eagle Gym)

3 p.m. Cagayan Valley vs. NLEX

WITH a fourth straight title within an arm’s reach, the NLEX Road Warriors hope to play a consistent brand of defense when they take on the resurgent Cagayan Valley Rising Suns today in Game One of the best-of-three finals series in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup at the Ateneo Blue Eagle gym.

The Road Warriors, with their arsenal boasting of the country’s best amateur players, stand alone as the league’s only champion for the last three conferences. They earned a return trip to the finals after outlasting the pesky Jose Rizal University, 87-85, in Game Three last Tuesday.

But a confident Suns team dare to stand in the way of the Manny V. Pangilinan-backed squad. After going without a win in nine games during the last conference, Cagayan Valley became the Cinderella team of the tournament after blazing their way to the finals with a resounding, 80-68 win over Blackwater Elite in the semis, also last Tuesday.

Interestingly, the series pits Fernandez against his former player. Alvin Pua, the Rising Suns’ coach, was former practice player with the defunct Sta. Lucia Realtors and played one conference for Fernandez during the 2007-08 PBA Fiesta Cup.

Greg Slaughter, the Road Warriors’ 6-foot-10 center, missed Tuesday’s game with a strained left shoulder but Fernandez said team physicians are doing their best to get him to play in Game 1.

But even without Slaugther, the Road Warriors remain a potent force with its deep bench that includes former NCAA MVP Ian Sanggalang, former UAAP MVP RR Garcia, Kevin Alas, Nico Salva, Garvo Lanete, Ronald and Jake Pascual and Kirk Long.

The Road Warriors defeated the Rising Suns, 84-75, in their lone encounter in the elimination round. /Correspondent Jonas Panerio