By REYNALD MAGALLON
Frankie Lim is taking over the helm at NLEX following the departure of former head coach Yeng Guiao.
Lim agreed to a deal to be the Road Warriors head coach on Tuesday, Sept. 20, marking his return to the PBA since he was tapped as an assistant then eventually as the head coach of Barangay Ginebra in 2015.
The development also saw a reunion between Lim and the MVP group which he had served as an assistant to Mobiline in 2000 before becoming the head coach of the MVP-backed San Beda from 2007 to 2011.
Under his tutelage, the Red Lions then went on to build a dynasty in the late 2000s winning a total of four championships in the NCAA. The last team Lim handled in the collegiate ranks was Perpetual which he guided to Final Four appearance in 2018.
Lim was also among the candidates pressed to take the head coaching role at San Beda earlier before it was handed to TNT assistant coach Yuri Escueta.
At NLEX, Lim inherited a perfect blend of young blood and veteran crew from Guiao’s Road Warriors team.
Kevin Alas and Don Trollano are poised to lead the way in this conference for NLEX along with Matt Nieto and newly acquired forward Brandon Ganuelas Rosser.
Asi Taulava is also coming back to the Road Warriors lineup following the injury of big man JR Quinahan and the departure of Raul Soyud to TNT. Reinforcing NLEX is NBA veteran Earl Clark.
Interestingly, Lim and the Road Warriors will meet a familiar foe in Guiao and the Elasto Painters when they open their mid-season conference campaign on Friday, Sept. 23.
