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Kiefer Ravena helps NLEX post their first win. PBA IMAGES
Coach Yeng Guiao eased some concerns Wednesday night, those of his team and the league.
An adjustment in their approach to the game helped Guiao’s NLEX Road Warriors come out of a skid thanks to a 102-88 win over NLEX in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Angeles University Foundation powered by Smart 5G.
“We changed our attitude,” he told reporters after the Road Warriors’ first conference win. “Before, it seemed that we were playing from behind, that at that moment, three wins [or] we have to beat this team. That was no longer the case. “
“Now, it’s just ‘play as hard as you can,'” Guiao added. “At the end of the game, if you win, you did something right. If not, go back to practice and correct your mistakes. “
Guiao is preaching the same carefree approach, albeit with a safer twist, amid reports that the bubble is compromised by a first positive test for coronavirus.
“For us, it was not really a big problem,” Guiao said. “Because psychologically, I am really prepared. I know it’s hard to be 100 percent [virus-free]. Something can go wrong. But the good thing is that when something goes wrong, you can still maintain control and execute it professionally. “
“I’m not really worried,” he added. “I’m not really in a panic or whatever. These people know what they are doing and how to handle the situation. The PBA and Clark Development Corp. jumped into action immediately after an arbitrator suspended a coronavirus test, placing the PBA bubble under stricter protocols on Wednesday.
The result, the two groups announced in a joint statement, may have been a “false positive” after the referee gave a negative antigen test. He also had a swab test and the results will be known in 48 hours. Meanwhile, the league has quarantined the referee at Athletes’ Village in New Clark City.
“The referee will remain in strict quarantine for 14 days at the Athletes’ Village in New Clark City, and will undergo another RT-PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction) test to confirm the negative antigen result.” the statement said.
“The eight people listed as close contacts of the referees were also established and isolated within 12 hours. They will undergo another round of RT-PCR testing on Saturday October 24. “
The close contact quarantine effectively reduced the league’s pool of umpires to just eight umpires. But the league was taking no chances.
Movement was visibly restricted in the morning, just hours before the league’s announcement that a game official tested positive after the mandatory real-time RT-PCR test for delegates last Monday.
Access to the gym, swimming pool and jogging area was also restricted as part of the precautionary measures, including sanitation.
Journalists covering the compressed tournament were also asked to stay inside their halls, while players, coaches and team staff members were advised to keep their activities to a minimum.
Delegates who frequented the hotel’s smoking area were also banned from entering.
NLEX looked carefree against NorthPort, with its defensive end of Kiefer Ravena and Kevin Alas planning an early breakout.
Ravena had 25 points, the best on the team, along with Alas’ 16 points and 10 rebounds.
“I guess we can only get better,” said Guiao, whose rooms rose to 1-3 in the compressed tournament, while NorthPort fell to 0-4.
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