Alas, NLEX see brighter path ahead with opening-night win

MANILA, Philippines — Kevin Alas has grown tired of losing that one victory early into the PBA’s Governors’ Cup makes him immensely full.

But that also keeps him grounded. While he and his teammates are optimistic after upsetting Alaska on Wednesday, the young NLEX guard said he can only hope that the Road Warriors can sustain such a start.

“Inspired lahat,” he said. “I hope [it’s a sign of better things to come].”

“But it’s just one game,” Alas continued. “It’s hard to judge (things) from one game, ‘yun lang … Huwag pa rin masyadong mag-enjoy sa panalo.

Alas, who scored 20 marker to lead all locals, has won all of his elimination round meetings against the Aces, where his father Louie is a deputy.

“3-0 na kami [against them],” he said with a smirk.  “’Di ko alam, baka swerte lang.”

But really, it’s more than luck. NLEX had a new lease on life when its roster got infused with tested veterans—some of whom have hoisted a championship trophy themselves.

“Maganda ‘yung addition nila Alex (Mallari), Larry (Fonacier), JR (Quiñahan). With Larry, he's been a leader sa amin lalo na sakin kinakausap niya ako parati,” Alas said.

This paved way to a change in the team’s culture, the former national team cager said.

“I think malaking bagay ‘yung we started early—parang one of the teams na...June 7 pa lang nagstart nang mag-practice,” Alas noted. ‘Yung ibang teams nagbabakasyon pa, so I think malaking bagay para sa amin ‘yun na syempre nagbubuild ‘yung chemistry namin.”

But moving forward, Alas is also aware that they’ve been in the same predicament—in starting a campaign off the right foot and then eventually dropping consecutive games.

“We need to be consistent, kasi nangyari na nung All-Filipino na we won our first game then we lost five straight,” he said.

“We shouldn't be confident na nanalo kami ngayon,” Alas noted. “There’s a lot of [room for] improvement pa.”