No matter how good Kiefer Ravena or NLEX is, preparing for an import-laden conference will never be the same without, obviously, an import.
But that's the reality the Road Warriors are facing as they continue their offseason grind ahead of the 2018 PBA Commissioner's Cup.
Still, without a reinforcement days before the second conference opens, Ravena has accepted that he, together with the rest of his team, has no choice but to suck things up and double the effort in NLEX's team practices.
"We have a lot of work for us individually and as a team. Time is not on our side, so we have to double up the work, increase our workload, and our team practices should be a little more intensified and on a higher level," he said.
But the super-rookie knows that the locals are ready to get the job done, just like any Yeng Guiao-coached team did before.
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"Locals have to step up and be ready just to be sure para pag nag-plug in ng import, siya na lang ang hahabol," he said.
It won't be the case for long, though, as NLEX has already tapped the services of Adrian Forbes to replace first-choice import Arnett Moultrie, who is having difficulties with his team in Bahrain that led to his continuous delay.
However, Ravena knows that integrating the new import won't be any walk in the park for the Road Warriors, which further puts the spotlight on the locals to work harder on their first three games in the second week of the tournament.
"We have three games in the second week of the conference, against Columbian Dyip, Rain or Shine, and Meralco, and all of those teams are already prepared and almost 100-percent in terms of their system. So I guess we should double up the work," he said. (DL)
