Wang's-Letran, JRU stake unbeaten slates in all-NCAA twin bill in D-League

MJ Dela Virgen looks to lead the way again for the Heavy Bombers. PBA Media Bureau (file photo)

By Dugout Philippines

MANILA—Surprise leaders Wang's Basketball-Letran and Jose Rizal University will have their hands full as they attempt to stay clean in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup.

The Couriers try to extend their winning streak to three games when they face the Zark’s Burger-Lyceum Jawbreakers at 2 p.m. on Monday at the Pasig Sports Center.

The Heavy Bombers also try to make it three in a row against unpredictable University of Perpetual Help in the second game at 4 o’clock.

Wang's Basketball-Letran coach Jeff Napa refused to be carried away by their early success insisting he’s still unsatisfied with how his team is playing.

“Being 2-0 doesn’t mean na maganda ang tinatakbo namin. Ang daming players pa rin sa amin ang off,” he said after a tight 83-82 victory over Che’Lu Bar and Grill-San Sebastian on Monday.

[Related Story: Publico scores game-winner as Wang's-Letran rallies to beat Che'Lu-San Sebastian]

He said his instruction to his chargers is simple: “Play as a team.”

“As long as we play as a team, tiwala naman ako na maganda ang tatakbuhin namin,” said Napa.

That makes Jawbreakers coach Topex Robinson wary of the Couriers, who he said have been playing great.

But his focus, Robinson said, is his coaching and his dealing with the Jawbreakers.

“Siguro, sarili ko ang dapat kong ayusin. It's more of trusting them, knowing that they're grown men and they're gonna make mistakes. So I have to know when to back off,” he said.

“Trust is really a feeling, so I can't just instruct them trust each other. I have to do it also to myself.

As for Heavy Bombers coach Gio Lasquety, he seems satisfied with their early success although he kept reminding his troops to not be complacent.

Lasquety said he keeps telling his chargers to play with the same intensity as they did in their first two games against Mila’s Lechon and Go for Gold.

JRU and Perpetual clash at 4 p.m.

Perpetual coach Frankie Lim knows his wards will encounter a lot of mismatches but is keeping his fingers crossed that their 65-48 rout of Mila’s Lechon last Tuesday will serve as motivation to his young team.

“Little by little, they’re settling down. Kinakausap ko sila to focus more on our executions,” he said.

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