NLEX looks to shake off the cobwebs after a lengthy layoff in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup against the TNT Tropang 5G.
After a long layoff, the NLEX Road Warriors return to action aiming to pick up where they left off as they take on the debuting TNT Tropang 5G in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup on Wednesday, April 23.
Gametime is set for 5:00 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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The Road Warriors sit at 1-1 and are coming off a convincing 109-95 victory over Rain or Shine last April 12, a game that saw rookie Xyrus Torres explode for 28 points on an eye-popping 11-of-12 shooting clip.
That bounce-back win helped NLEX shake off its opening-game loss to San Miguel and build some early momentum in the All-Filipino tilt.
Now, NLEX faces a major test against TNT — a squad making its Philippine Cup debut after winning both the Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup, and now eyeing a rare PBA Grand Slam under its new moniker, Tropang 5G.
Coach Jong Uichico's crew will look to use their rhythm and rest advantage to catch the powerhouse Tropang 5G cold in their opener.
Alongside Torres, veterans like Robert Bolick, Javee Mocon, and Mike Miranda are expected to steady the ship as NLEX tries to crash the return party of the league’s current juggernaut.
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(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]