MANILA, Philippines — Yeng Guiao expects Cyrus Baguio to just be a leader, a glue guy and the perfect mentor to his young wards.
On Saturday night, against the offensively deep and second-seeded Magnolia Hotshots, Baguio turned back the clock once again.
With PJ Simon draining bucket after bucket after bucket for his squad, it only seemed imperative that a veteran like Baguio stepped up.
“Actually, Cyrus is a steady influence even if he’s not scoring, he's defending, he’s getting the rebounds, his quiet leadership is there and he’s mentoring the young guys so this is just a bonus for us,” NLEX head coach Yeng Guiao — who was the cager’s mentor in Red Bull in years ago, said in the post-game presser.
Kiefer Ravena, who made clutch plays in NLEX’s hard-earned win over Magnolia, couldn’t help but refer to his senior to his beloved sporting accessory — one that made him a recognizable face in the league.
“Kuya Cyrus stepped up big time,” the rookie said. "It’s nice to see Cyrus -- vintage ‘No Fear’-headband ’Skyrus' Baguio — [maglaro] kanina."
Baguio turns back time in leading NLEX to thrilling Game 1 win over Magnolia
NLEX Road Warriors' Cyrus Baguio | Arangkada NLEX Instagram
We caught up with “Skyrus” himself and asked about his vintage performance — one that saw him lead all the of relatively young Road Warriors squad in scoring.