The road less traveled

Someone find Asi a playmate
(Photo credit: Sports5.ph)

Logically speaking, it is never wise to go out on public to say that you're actually considering building your team around a 42-year old center-- no matter how "ageless" he appears to be. It reeks of desperation, of failure to find another, younger, talent to go with.

And that is why the NLEX Road Warriors and their head coach Boyet Fernandez need to make some major changes going into the 2015 PBA Draft and next season.

Sure, Asi Taulava has been nothing short of "PBA Mythical Five worthy" the last two years since his return from the ASEAN Basketball League (wherein he left as the reigning Most Valuable Player), but in today's young PBA there should be more emphasis on running and scoring from all angles rather than just waiting to see what sticks and whoever catches fire.


Looking at the roster, on paper and maybe four to five years ago, Mac Cardona, Nino Canaleta and Jonas Villanueva are as good as they come at their respective positions. But there's the catch. Four to five years ago. Sometimes Canaleta catches fire, sometimes he just goes through the motion. Cardona is still his old defiant self, but then there are days wherein he shows the confusion and self-doubt instilled into him by former coach Ryan Gregorio over at Meralco (the "Mark" era). Villanueva? When was he not injured?

There's a ray of hope in the form of John Wilson, who should be pushed into being the next Gary David (with better defense), but then he would still need to have a legitimate point guard to run with.

Baser Amer? Garvo Laneta? Roi Sumang?

Any of the three mentioned would give the Road Warriors a new lease on life. Honestly, the Road Warriors should take a serious look into all of the draft applicants and take in as many names as they can if only to jolt their roster.

Darkhorse? Sure, how many teams are there in the PBA that have a legit, double-double 6"9 (or above) center?

But the clock is ticking for Taulava, and the sooner the Road Warriors prepare for it, the better.