GETTING THE RIGHT MIX
A combination of the old Air21 core and D-League standouts will be at the battlefront when NLEX embarks on its new journey in the Big League.
Team manager Ronald Dulatre is optimistic that the team they formed can compete in their first season in the PBA.
“When we acquired the Air21 franchise, I think nine had existing contracts. So with that, we strategized and plotted down kung ano yung mga kailangan namin na positions,” he said.
Asi Taulava leads the old reliables from the Express franchise, along with Mac Cardona, Jonas Villanueva, Aldrech Ramos and Mark Borboran.
They will be joined by Borgie Hermida, Pamboy Raymundo, and Byron Villarias, members of the NLEX D-League team, and other D-League contributors in Raul Soyud and Jeckster Apinan, as well as rookies Juneric Baloria and Harold Arboleda.
“We felt na itong mga additions namin coming from the D-League and the NCAA, they are the talents who we want to reel in dun sa void na nawala from the expiring players,” Dulatre said.
The team manager admitted that the makeup of the team is based on the view of their head coach Boyet Fernandez, and the whole coaching staff believes that these players are they guys who will fit and play within the system.
“Alam namin yung caliber ng players na yan so we tried to get them. We wanted those players,” Dulatre said. (RL)
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