MANILA, Philippines – In the PBA on Tour season that kicked off on Sunday against the NLEX Road Warriors at the Caloocan Sports Complex in Bagumbong, Caloocan, NEW Blackwater coach Jeffrey Cariaso is staying with the Bossing old team.

The management and coaching staff feel confident in their team’s competitive lineup, which would have been a postseason contender if the Commissioner’s Cup and Governors’ Cup injuries from the previous season hadn’t hampered them.

The Bossing, who were led by the talented guards JV Casio, Baser Amer, and Rashawn McCarthy, advanced to the Philippine Cup quarterfinals before falling flat in the first conference of the following year due to the absence of numerous important players due to injury.

In the preseason PBA series, which runs from May 21 to July 30, they all expect to be in good condition as they consider their starting lineup.

RK Ilagan, Mike Digregorio, Rey Suerte, Renato Ular, James Sena, Troy Rosario, Tyrus Hill, Richard Escoto, Mike Ayonayon, Rey Publico, Joshua Torralba, Yousef Taha, and Gab Banal are among the other players on the team that Casio, Amer, and McCarthy continue to oversee.

Rosario, a trade acquisition from TNT, saw little action in his debut year with Bossing since he spent the majority of the time on the disabled list.

The NLEX squad has kept its core players, with the exception of JR Quinahan, whose contract the team has terminated, for the PBA on Tour opener against the Bossing.

Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, who recently served as a member of the Gilas team that won the gold medal at the Cambodian Southeast Asian Games, will be a member of the team that is led by Kevin Alas, Don Trollano, and Sean Anthony.

Asi Taulava, a veteran warrior, is also on the roster.

Along with Anthony Semerad, Tzaddy Rangel, Reden Celda, Mike Miranda, Clint Doliguez, Kris Rosales, Philip Paniamogan, Matt Nieto, Dominic Fajardo, Hesed Gabo, and Bong Galanza will be present and prepared to respond to coach Frankie Lim’s call.