ANTIPOLO – Robert Bolick and Deonte Burton played through foul trouble and guided NLEX to a 97-92 win over Phoenix in the opener of their PBA Governors Cup quarterfinals series Sunday at the Ynares Center.
Bolick and Burton were both nursing five fouls but both managed to finish the game and scored 20 and 27 points respectively in Game 1 of the best-of-five playoffs.
Burton’s two free throws with 13.8 seconds left off a flagrant foul committed by Phoenix import Marcellus Earlington clinched the series headstart for the Road Warriors.
“I thought down the stretch we made enough plays especially the defensive end, cleaned up the defensive end. I thought DB was a huge presence. Berto had a huge rebound there in the end to get the win,” said Jimmy Alapag as he clinched his first playoff win as NLEX head coach.
“But Phoenix has been a resilient team throughout the conference. So it’s expected that they will continue to play. And again they clawed and fight throughout the game.”
Phoenix did come back strong after trailing by as many as 71-56 late in the third period, threatening at 90-89 on a jumper by Ken Tuffin with 3:41 left in the game at the Ynares Center.
Burton however, stabilized things back for the Road Warriors by blocking the shot of Kai Ballungay and then taking a charging foul for Ricci Rivero’s sixth and final foul.
He also denied Gian Mamuyac's desperation three which would've tied the game with 51 seconds left, before capping his heroics with the two clinching free throws.
Burton added 11 rebounds and five assists, Schonny Winston had 13 and Tony Semerad chipped in 11 for the top seeded Road Warriors.
Rivero led the Fuel Masters with 24 points and nine rebounds before fouling out with 1:50 remaining.
Ballungay added 20 and nine rebounds, while Earlington had a double-double of 14 points and 13 rebounds.
The scores
NLEX 97 - Burton 27, Bolick 20, Winston 13, Semerad 11, Alas 6, Gonzales 6, Herndon 5, Valdez 5, Bahio 4, Racal 0, Nieto 0, Gamboa 0, Marcelo 0.
Phoenix 92 - Rivero 24, Ballungay 20, Earlington 14, Mamuyac 11, Tio 9, Tuffin 7, Santos 5, Delos Santos 2, Escandor 0.
Quarters: 29-26; 56-48; 77-73; 97-92
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