Louie Alas has one rule when he and son Kevin are scheduled to play against each other.

"Kapag magkalaban kami, hindi kami nag-uusap," Louie Alas told ABS-CBN News on Thursday. "May usapan na kami na, kapag magkalaban kami, secret dapat ang mga game plan."

Louie currently works as an assistant coach for Alaska, while Kevin plays for NLEX. It' a rare adversarial setup between father and son made more interesting by the fact that Louie coached Kevin at Colegio de San Juan de Letran in the younger Alas' NCAA days.

Kevin has been in the spotlight recently for his all-star caliber play. In 3 games in the PBA Governor's Cup, the second-year player is averaging 19 points on 56% shooting from the field (23 of 41), to go with nearly 8 rebounds.

Kevin's numbers are noteworthy because NLEX is 3-0 in the tournament, its best start in a conference under first-year head coach Yeng Guiao after accounting for only 2 wins in each of the two previous conferences.

When Kevin took home Player of the Week honors, his father was naturally proud, but not surprised because Louie has always raised the bar for success for Kevin and his brothers.

"Basta't may mga bagay kaming ginagawa, ang goal namin iyong pinakamataas," Louie said. "Kaya lang hindi namin minamadali, dinadaan namin sa proseso. Kung hindi kaya sa madalian, sige trabahuin natin."

What Kevin has worked on and gotten better at is his decision-making. According to Louie, unlike in the past when Kevin was guilty of overpassing, he isn't reluctant now to shoot when he has a chance.

Louie said being surrounded by veteran players such as Larry Fonacier, Kevin's teammate at TNT in his rookie year and now at NLEX after Fonacier arrived via trade, helped Kevin polish the way he sees and plays the game.

As a point guard, Kevin has totaled only 5 turnovers in 3 games, impressive for a starting playmaker.

"Nasasabi ko na kay Kevin iyon noon pa, 'masmagiging effective ka kung 2-way na guwardiya ka,' which is na-reinforce ni Larry sa kanya," Louie said.

While Kevin's progress is evident, the 25-year-old still falls into lapses. Case in point is one mistake he committed late in the game against Rain Or Shine on Wednesday.

Kevin's foul off a jump ball in the dying seconds of the first overtime nearly cost NLEX the game.

The two ensuing free throws by Chris Tiu put Rain Or Shine ahead 110-108, but Kevin responded with a clutch basket that forced a second overtime, where NLEX put away Rain Or Shine for good, 120-112.

During the NLEX timeout after Kevin's foul, the TV microphone caught Guiao berating Kevin, calling his blunder a "f---ing stupid foul."

Louie Alas watched as the whole sequence unfolded, understanding it from a unique dual perspective as both a coach and the parent of the player being chewed out by a colleague.

"Actually nanonood ako kagabi noong mag-commit siya ng 'stupid' na foul. Kung ako coach noon, I'll do the same thing. Hindi dapat nangyayari iyon. Kung hindi mo makuha iyong tap sa jump ball, iyon ang last thing na magagawa mo, na mag-foul with the game tied and penalty ka.

"OK lang sa akin iyon (what Guiao said). Kahit hindi OK sa akin iyon, siya ang tatay ni Kevin doon. Bahala siya kung ano gagawin niya kay Kevin.

"Alam kong kayang bumawi ni Kevin, pero nagdadasal talaga ako, sana makabawi ang batang ito. Kung medyo malambot ka, kung ganoon ang sinabi ng coach mo, manlalambot ka. Pero siya hindi, so sabi ko, OK na ang batang ito."

It was Guiao who selected Alas No. 2 overall in the 2014 rookie draft when Guiao was still the coach of Rain Or Shine. Guiao and Kevin worked briefly in the offseason, before Kevin was shipped to TNT.

Given Guiao's reputation for being a stern personality on the sidelines, Louie offered a message that he hopes would resonate with Kevin the son and Kevin the player.

"Be yourself lang," Louie said. "Mahilig sa matapang na player si coach Yeng, so sabi ko gawin mo lang iyong dating ginagawa mo, wala akong makitang hindi ka magugustuhan."

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