NLEX faces Freego Jeans in Game 1 of PBA D-league titular series

DEFENDING champion NLEX Road Warriors will collide against Freego Jeans today in game one of the bestof-three titular series of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) D- League Aspirants Cup at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

The Road Warriors are favored over the Jeans Makers in their 3 p.m. encounter though coach Boyet Fernandez said he tough fight.

“I don’t care whether it takes two or three games, as long as we win the championship that’s fine with me,” declared Fernandez after the Road Warriors dispatched Big Chill, 89-60, in the deciding game of their semifinal duel on Tuesday to reach the Finals for the second straight time.

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The Jeans Makers, on the other hand needed just two games (2-0) to get past Cebuana Lhuillier in the other semifinals match.

Though NLEX routed Freego Jeans, 76-59, in their lone meeting in the elimination round, the coaches of both squads stressed that the finals is an entirely different affair.

“It’s impossible for us to match their size and athleticism but if we could prevent them from scoring on easy lay-ups anything could happen,” Free Jeans coach Leo Austria said.

Eight Freego Jeans players namely Lionel Manyara, Lester Alvarez, Eric Camson, Rodney Brondial, Roider Cabrera, Janus Lozada, Alex Nuyles and Ryan Monteclaro were under Austria’s tutelage the past four years in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines, and they consider the familiarity born out of their long association an advantage.

“Their chemistry and their familiarity with each other make them tough to read. So we should play smart,” Fernandez added.