DEFENDING champion Nueva Ecija Rice Vanguards know the road to the championship of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) is full of challenges and pitfalls.

Even a 23-5 win-loss record in the elimination round is no guarantee of success.

So the Rice Vanguards look to come out swinging and play with the same intensity they had in the elims when they battle the Pasay Voyagers in the opener of their best-of-three quarterfinal series before an expected big crowd at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum.

Riding on the momentum of a two-game winning streak, the Rice Vanguards will be actually looking to repeat their thrilling 88-79 win over the Voyagers last September 28.

The nail-biting victory over the Voyagers showcased the team’s resilience and ability to stay composed under pressure.

Now, the Rice Vanguards are looking forward to the next battle.

“Both sides are setting the tone for the playoffs. We just gonna be ready for war,” said Rice Vanguards coach Jerson Cabiltes during an interview last Sept. 28.

“Sa playoffs, hindi pwedeng magpa-kumpiyansa dahil alam natin na lahat naman ng mga teams dito sa MPBL ay magagaling. Lahat ay preparado din, lalo na ngayon sa playoffs,” added Cabiltes.

Palayan City Mayor Viandrei Nicole Cuevas, is also encouraging the Rice Vanguards to continue to play well as she believes playing — and winning — in the MPBL put Nueva Ecija on the basketball map.

“It’s really big for us. The MPBL has really put Nueva Ecija on the map lalo na kapag ang conversation tungkol sa basketball,” said Mayor Cuevas, daughter of Nueva Ecija sports patrons Bong and Rianne Cuevas.

“Our tourism sector here in Nueva Ecija is also developing because of our sports program. Kapag basketball ang pinag-uusapan, mag-stick na din sa mind ng tao yun sports at sasabihin yun Nueva Ecija pwede nating bisitahin,” she said.

” I realized after we started playing in the MPBL there would be a lot of Nueva Ecijanos who would come out and talk about basketball and our province. Mahalaga sa amin yung makitang masaya ang mga kababayan namin.”

Handled by champion coach Jerson Cabiltes, Nueva Ecija will lean on veterans of Pamboy Raymundo, Jonathan Uyloan, Roi Sumang, JR Taganas, Chris Bitoon and Michael Mabulac as they battle Pasay and continue their title-retention bid in the fifth season of the MPBL.

Game 2 of the Nueva Ecija-Pasay playoffs is scheduled on Oct. 16 at the Makati Coliseum.

Game 3 if necesary, is set on Oct. 23 at the Nueva Ecija Coliseum.