Road Warriors stake unblemished card

FRUITAS Shakers look to test the mettle of three time defending champions NLEX Road Warriors even as four other teams see action today in the first triple-header of the PBA D League Aspirants’ Cup at The Arena in San Juan.

Fruitas is looking to bounce back from a 64- 69 setback opposite Blckwater Sports on November 20 and is trying to be the first team to defeat NLEX, since the semifinals of last season’s Aspirants’ Cup in their 2 p.m. encounter.

NLEX is on top of the team standings with a 4-0 card but is yet to face a team the caliber of Fruitas, which has a solid core of San Beda Red Lions.

All eyes would be on Road Warriors’ defense this time against the able scorers of the Shakers led by Anjo Caram, Rome dela Rosa and St. Benilde Blazer Carlo Lastimosa.

Coach Boyet Fernandez of NLEX is wary of Fruitas’ ability to put points on the board, especially after they gave up 81 points against Informatics in their last game.

”It’s not our offense that sucks, it’s our defense that sucks,” Fernandez said.

But the Shakers may not be having Nigerian center Ola Adeogun to man the post.

Adeogun missed Fruitas’ game against Blackwater and was also sidelined in San Beda’s semifinal round game against University of Santo Tomas last Friday in the PCCL.