Coach Jong Uichico kept things candidly simple on Sunday, shortly after seeing NLEX’s playoff hopes dashed by Magnolia.

“For this conference, I think we could’ve done better,” he told reporters on his way out of Ynares Center in Antipolo City, still reeling from a 112-81 loss at the hands of the Hotshots who ultimately made the Commissioner’s Cup playoffs as the eighth seed.

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“Had we taken care, I guess, two games, this wouldn’t have happened,” the champion coach added.

NLEX was once among the teams that started the midseason showcase on a promising note, winning three of its first four outings. But a string of narrow losses and heartbreaking meltdowns pushed them down the totem pole, eventually prompting them to scurry for wins in a tournament where staying barely above .500 didn’t exactly amount to advancing to the knockout stage.

The Road Warriors were able to win three more games to end their elimination round campaign and give themselves a chance at competing for the final quarterfinals ticket. But as Uichico pointed out, that wouldn’t have been necessary had they taken care of business early on.

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Cutthroat defense

“But all that’s part of—as overused as it may be—the process, journey, or whatever,” he said as he let out a subtle sigh.

NLEX looked on track to make their second playoff appearance under Uichico. But a cutthroat defensive effort by Magnolia that muzzled import Mike Watkins and an even more stellar outing from old reinforcement Ricardo Ratliffe and rising star Zavier Lucero that rendered Robert Bolick Jr.’s efforts futile turned that dream on its head.

But a multiple coach who has seen his fair share of battles, Uichico refused to mope and fixate on things he could no longer control.

“Work,” he said, deadpan, when asked on how he plans to navigate the lull between the Commissioner’s Cup and the All-Filipino showcase.

Uichico said the club will likely feature the same faces going into the third and final tournament, which is also the crown jewel showcase of the league.

“Work, work. We will work. We’ll give them [the players] a few moments—maybe a week or two—then back to work,” he said. “We don’t have, for me, the right to have a long off.”

“We’ve got to get back to work as soon as possible. It’s not like we’re always in the quarters or the semis. It would’ve been nice if we were always in those rounds. Maybe we could consider giving the players more time off. But no,” Uichico added.

“Even making the quarterfinals was a struggle, so we need to work.” INQ