Jimmy Alapag recalls Gilas memories in return to MOA as NLEX head coach

For the first time since taking over as head coach of NLEX, Jimmy Alapag returned to the Mall of Asia Arena last Saturday as the Road Warriors took on Converge.

NLEX maintained its perfect record after five games with a 119-107 victory against the FiberXers, but more than that, nostalgia hit Alapag as he walked through the doors of the now iconic venue.

Almost 13 years ago, Alapag made one of the most memorable shots of his career. Wearing his Gilas Pilipinas jersey, the Mighty Mouse drilled a triple with less than a minute remaining to beat rival South Korea and eventually book its place to the FIBA World Cup.

“When I walked in earlier today, I walked in the same entrance that we exited the floor when we beat Korea,” Alapag said last Saturday.

“Definitely a nostalgic moment, just brought back a lot of great memories of that night — the coaching staff, the players, the fans, the Gilas fans, the PBA fans, such a special night. Especially to be able to walk earlier with my eight year old, he wasn’t born yet [then]. Hopefully later on he understands the magnitude of what we did that night.”

“Just a special moment being back at the Mall of Asia, some very special memories not just for the Gilas program, but for the country. to be able to walk back to these doors is very special for sure,” he added.

Alapag will face even more nostalgia on Tuesday as he takes on his former team TNT.

“Obviously, a lot of history there, a lot of memories there,” he said. “But again, we have a job to do for NLEX.”

—JMB, GMA News