INJURED Olu ASHAOLU continues to try to hold the fort for NLEX with help now on the way as the Road Warriors play their third game in six days in the PBA Governors Cup.
After getting past TnT Katropa and NorthPort despite a diminished roster, the Road Warriors try to add the Magnolia Hotshots in their list of victims as the two teams clash Wednesday night in the main game of another twinbill at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Ashaolu will suit up for the team for the last time in the 7 p.m. match as Aaron Fullerton is set to take over his place to allow him to recover from the patella partial tendon tear that has been bothering him prior to the start of the conference.
Fullerton, who saw action for NLEX in this same tournament last year, arrived in the country on Tuesday.
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Yet despite hurting, the 30-year-old Ashaolu had been a steady presence for NLEX in leading the team to back-to-back wins for the early solo lead.
Acting coach Jojo Lastimosa has nothing but praises for Ashaolu.
"Olu is awesome. He's defying doctors' advice," said Lastimosa of the hardworking import, who averaged 30 points and 18 rebounds in the two games he played despite being hobbled by the injury.
But Ashaolu gets to be test anew as the Hotshots parade former Best Import Romeo Travis in their debut game.
Travis, the former high school teammate of NBA superstar LeBron James when St. Vincent-St. Mary won the national championship in 2003, led Alaska to the finals of the 2015 Governors Cup but was swept by the San Miguel Beermen.
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But the 33-year-old import, now a naturalized Macedonian, is coming off a championship in the 2018 Pro A with Le Mans, where he was also named the Finals MVP.
Magnolia though will be coming to the game minus top gun Paul Lee, who is currently in Jakarta, Indonesia for the 2018 Asian Games together with NLEX coach Yeng Guiao and veteran big man Asi Taulava.(RG)
