Cebuana, NLEX open D-League title series

MANILA, Philippines - NLEX and Cebuana Lhuillier start their best-of-three series for the PBA D-League Foundation Cup with odds just about even between the league’s two top teams. 

The Road Warriors thumped the Max! Bond Super Glue Sumos, 74-61, while the Gems overwhelmed the PC Gilmore Wizards, 83-55, to arrange the title showdown.

Gametime is at 3 p.m. at The Arena in San Juan.

Gems’ coach Luigi Trillo described their finals appearance a humbling experience. “But there’s still a job to be done. We can’t underachieve and be happy by just making the finals.”

He said the Road Warriors are very athletic but the Gems can match up with them.

“They have their strengths and we have ours. It will be great series,” Trillo said.

NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez, on the other hand, said this is what they have prepared for over the last four months.

“The team is in high spirits. Three-fourths of our job is done. We’re confident that we can match up with them well,” Fernandez said.

Because it’s a short series, Fernandez said winning Game 1 is crucial.

“It’s very important in a series like this. Whoever plays defense well and makes stops in the end will win the series,” he said.