PBA: Kevin Alas disappointed after another twice-to-beat exit

NLEX guard Kevin Alas shoots a jumper against Phoenix in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.–PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines–Kevin Alas did not suit up for NLEX on Saturday night, but the sting of another playoff collapse still hit hard.

The veteran guard watched from the sidelines as TNT escaped with a 118-112 victory over the Road Warriors at Ynares Sports Center, knocking NLEX out of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup despite holding a twice-to-beat advantage entering the quarterfinals.

“It’s the second time in recent memory that we held a twice-to-beat and lost. It’s pretty disappointing,” Alas told the Inquirer after the game. “I guess when we hold a twice-to-beat, we lose,” he added with a slight chuckle.

Alas was sidelined by an overextended finger and was listed as a game-time decision before ultimately sitting out the winner-take-all matchup.

The defeat brought back memories of NLEX’s painful exit in the 2019 Governors’ Cup, when the Road Warriors entered the playoffs as the top seed behind current B.League standout Kiefer Ravena but lost back-to-back games to NorthPort and Christian Standhardinger in the quarterfinals. Alas was also part of that squad.

With TNT fielding a veteran-laden roster, Alas said he tried to motivate the younger Road Warriors before tipoff in hopes of avoiding a repeat of that collapse.

“At the start of the game, I told them to show their legendary games because TNT’s a veteran team,” Alas said.

“But I have no words because we did all of our game plans against them. We just didn’t make it.”