MONTALBAN – NLEX dealt LA Tenorio and Magnolia a second straight loss, 112-105, as the Road Warriors remained undefeated in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup Sunday night at the Ynares Center.
Import Cady Lalanne had a double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds and new acquisition Schonny Winston finished with 14, including a corner three that beat the shot clock and gave NLEX a 111-103 lead in the final 47 seconds.
The Road Warriors improved to 2-0 with their second straight win, forcing a three-way logjam at the top along with surprise leaders Terrafirma and Phoenix.
It was a heartbreaker of a loss for the Hotshots who led by as many as 56-43 late in the second quarter, as they fell to a 0-2 start in their second conference under Tenorio.
JB Bahio and Robert Bolick also finished with 14 each, Kevin Alas and rookie LJ Gonzales had 13 apiece, while Tony Semerad added 11 in a balance scoring for the Road Warriors.
"It's perfect," said NLEX coach Jong Uichico about seven players finishing in double figures for the team. "Ganitong klase ng scoring is a coache's dream. Parang dream siya. If you always have this kind of scoring, ang ganda ng movement ninyo, ang ganda ng pasahan ninyo, ang ganda ng chemistry, hopefully it remains this way."
Import Nuni Omot had an all-around game of 32 points, nine rebounds, and six assists in a losing cause for Magnolia.
The Olympian from South Sudan scored 14 in the fourth quarter as he tried to rally back the Hotshots when the Road Warriors finally took control in the final 12 minutes,
Jerom Lastimosa finished with 23 points, but only two in the final quarter, though his basket in the final 35 seconds pulled Magnolia to within 111-105.
It proved to be the Hotshots' final stand.
The scores
NLEX (112) -- Lalanne 24, Bahio 14, Winston 14, Bolick 14, Alas 13, Gonzales 13, Semerad 11, Torres 3, Fajardo 3, Racal 3, Herndon 0.
Magnolia (105) -- Omot 32, Lastimosa 23, Dela Rosa 17, Lucero 16, Laput 6, Lee 4, Barroca 3, Andrada 2, Alfaro 2, Gomez de Liano 0, Koon 0, Sangalang 0, Escoto 0.
Quarterscores: 27-26,:57-59: 82-80: 112-105.
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