ROBERT Bolick drained a crucial three in the endgame to help NLEX steal a 118-113 win from Barangay Ginebra on Friday night in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner's Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Bolick's three with 46.1 seconds left sparked a personal six-point burst in the final 45 seconds that enabled the Road Warriors to complete a comeback from 13-points down and endure a 46-point effort from Ginebra import Justin Brownlee.
The Road Warriors, who also got 32 points and 14 rebounds from import Cady Lalanne, 21 points from Schonny Winston, and 14 points off the bench from rookie LJ Gonzales, improved to 3-1 (win-loss) to join Terrafirma and Phoenix at second place behind unbeaten Rain or Shine (3-0).
The Road Warriors were trailing, 113-110, when Cady Lalanne made a dunk. Bolick drained the key three after RJ Abarrientos missed a three-point shot.
NLEX also overcame a 41-28 second-quarter deficit in the win.
“Siyempre, mahirap kalaban ang Ginebra because championship experience, they know how to close games. This game, hopefully, gets us to the next level of winning close games with composure,” said NLEX coach Jong Uichico.
Brownlee shot 16-of-22 from the field, including four threes during his high-scoring night. He also added six rebounds and eight assists for the Gin Kings.
The scores:
NLEX 118 – Bolick 32, Lalanne 28, Winston 21, Gonzales 14, Bahio 6, Semerad 6, Alas 5, Rodger 3, Racal 3, Ramirez 0, Fajardo 0, Torres 0, Herndon 0.
Barangay Ginebra 113 – Brownlee 46, Abarrientos 14, J. Aguilar 14, Rosario 11, Holt 10, Thompson 7, Gray 5, Cu 3, Go 3, Pinto 0, Torres 0.
Quarters: 18-30; 54-59; 92-87; 118-113.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
