‘NLEX to take fast lane to PBA crown’

MANILA, Philippines - Ageless hard-court warrior Asi Taulava believes he and buddy Mac Cardona have long been overdue to win a PBA crown again since winning one each in their Talk n Text days.

Taulava is hopeful they can do it with the NLEX Road Warriors in PBA Season 40 that unwraps Sunday at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.

Taulava and Cardona banner the NLEX cast that was presented to the media at C3 Event’s Place in Greenhills, San Juan Monday night.

The team management set a modest goal in its maiden voyage in the pro league, but Taulava won’t agree, confident they can make a good run with the lineup built around the former core group of the Air21 Express.

“I have big expectations for this team,” said Taulava, putting into consideration their breakthrough with Air21 last season and the resources now put in by MVP Group top boss Manny V. Pangilinan.

Meanwhile, Kia Motors has tied up with Jam Liner to offer 10,000 fans a free bus ride to and from Bocaue, Bulacan for the PBA Season 40 inaugurals.

“Libreng Sakay” stubs will be distributed from 1- 4 p.m. tomorrow at the Jam Liner Cubao bus terminal and from 8 a.m. to 12 noon Friday at the Buendia terminal.

Fans will need to present their PBA ticket to avail of the stub.

The NLEX management surely won’t allow the team to be a whipping boy – the very reason why they veered away from their original plan to join the PBA via the expansion route.

From their purchase of the Air21 franchise, the Road Warriors got Taulava, Cardona, Aldrech Ramos, Jonas Villanueva, Wynne Arboleda, Eliud Poligrates, Eric James Camson and Mark Borboran.

And in their off-season buildup, NLEX acquired rookies Juneric Baloria, Harold Arboleda, John Byron Villarias and Jeckster Apinan, Raul Soyud, and trade acquisition KG Canaleta.

“We’re happy with what we’ve got. We’re happy with our mix of young and experienced talents whom we believe have developed a good chemistry,” said coach Boyet Fernandez.

The one-time PBA champion coach with Sta. Lucia Realty, however, is to miss the earlier games of the Road Warriors while still completing his tenure also as bench chieftain of the San Beda Red Lions in the NCAA.

Fernandez’s staff includes Adonis Tierra, Jojo Lastimosa, Alex Arespacochaga, Raymund Celis, Claiford Arao, Gino Manuel and Jay Serrano. Also in the team is team manager Ronald Dulatre and assistant team manager Allan Gregorio.

A dominant team ruling six of the first seven tournaments in the PBA D-League, NLEX debuts in the pro league on Tuesday, taking on Globalport at 4:15 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Excellence is a trait that we treasure in the MVP Group. We hope to carry that in our PBA entry,” said Rodrigo Franco, NLEX’s alternate governor to the PBA board.

“(In our initial conference), we want a decent finish. We would be happy to finish in the middle of the pack,” said NLEX president Ramoncito Fernandez.

Taulava insisted, however, that they can compete with the best in the league.