By Adrian Stewart Co

Negrense guard Paul Bolinas Varilla will remain with the NLEX Road Warriors for the upcoming Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) season after being signed to a new deal by the team recently.

Road Warriors head coach Joseller “Yeng” Guiao confirmed the return of the Manapla, Negros Occidental-native Varilla, who was one of the team’s defensive specialist during the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup.

“Paul is one of those guys that when he comes into the game, he knows what he has to do. He has to make stops, at least bother, probably the best scorer of the other team,” Guiao said.

“He has balanced his game, not just as an exclusive stopper, but also providing some scoring especially during the previous season,” Guiao added on the former University of the East Red Warriors gunner.

Varilla has been with the Road Warriors since 2019 after being left unsigned by the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, the team that drafted him during the 2018 PBA Rookie Draft.

The 6-foot-3 Varilla was one of the four Western Visayas-based players in the Road Warriors camp aside from Ilonggos Kiefer Ravena and Jericho Cruz and Bago City-native Raul Soyud.

Meanwhile, also getting signed to new contracts by the Road Warriors prior to the start of the new season were Soyud, Cruz, JR Quiñahan, Michael Miranda, Will McAloney, Kenneth Ighalo, Bong Galanza, and Kris Porter.

Also getting new deals from the Road Warriors were reserve players Kyles Lao and Amiel Cris Soberano, who has yet to suit up for the team after begging off during the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup bubble./ASC, WDJ