PBA: Jimmy Alapag says winning debut felt like ‘first day of school’

SCHEDULE: 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup 

New NLEX head coach Jimmy Alapag during a huddle in his 2026 PBA Governors’ Cup debut. –PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines—Newly minted NLEX coach Jimmy Alapag was in high spirits Friday night at Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo—and rightfully so.

In his head coaching debut in Group A of the PBA Governors’ Cup, Alapag steered the Road Warriors to a dominant 114-75 rout of Macau.

As expected, Alapag admitted to having first-game jitters. Coming away with a win, however, helped settle those nerves.

“It’s almost like going home from your first day of school,” a beaming Alapag said, who is home from the United States after a stint as part of an NBA coaching staff.

“We had a good first day but still a lot of work to be done. I’ve only been here for nine or ten days but I’m really happy with the group. I just love their competitive spirit and selflessness.”

Alapag’s system appeared to pay off in its first game.

NLEX finished with 30 team assists, a stark contrast to the Giant Pandas’ eight.

The Road Warriors’ unselfishness under the Talk N’ Text legend allowed multiple swingmen to shine.

For one, import Daequan Jones recorded a double-double of 23 points and 11 rebounds. Kevin Alas and LJay Gonzales, meanwhile, had 19 and 13 points, respectively.

One game is hardly enough to judge success, but Alapag sees a bright future in his squad.

“The competitive spirit of this group is very encouraging at this early stage,” he said. “Every game is different though so as we move forward in this conference, the rotation may differ.”