ANTIPOLO - Jonnel Policarpio picked up the slack in the absence of Robert Bolick to lift NLEX to a 85-84 win over reigning champion San Miguel on Wednesday in the PBA 50th Season Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center.
The sophomore pro out of La Salle scored a team-high 16 points, including 12 in the second half, as he stepped up in the stunning win over the Beermen with Bolick absent due to the recent passing of his father.
READ Bolick points to Policarpio, Valdez as 'X-factors' in NLEX season
The Beermen won the Philippine Cup title against TNT last July, but their title defense got off to a worrying start as they lost to the Road Wariors despite leading by as many as 13 points.
Brandon Ramirez also had 16 points, while JB Bahio had 12 points and 12 rebounds for NLEX, which opened an 85-80 lead in the endgame.
Don Trollano cut the deficit to one after a four-point play with 11.1 seconds left and two missed free throws by Bahio kept the door open for the Beermen. But Trollano decided to pass instead of going for a shot in the final seconds.
Kevin Alas had 13 points for the Road Warriors, who mounted a comeback from a 56-43 third-quarter deficit.
NLEX went on a 12-4 burst with Policarpio also making a banked shot three during that stretch to turn a 76-73 deficit into an 85-80 lead.
“We tried to stay in the game. Alam naman namin na hindi madali ‘yung San Miguel. We just tried to stay in the game as much as we can, ‘yung striking distance, wag lang lumaki masyado ‘yung lamang, and hopefully, through the game, maka-streak kami which we did,” said NLEX coach Jong Uichico.
“Na-timing lang na tamang tama ‘yung streak namin at the end na konti na lang ‘yung oras. But of course, ang mga players ng NLEX, maski anong mangyari, lalaban at lalaban sila. ‘Yung ang importante sa amin,” said Uichico.
June Mar Fajardo had 18 points and 15 rebounds for San Miguel in his first game since being crowned as MVP for the ninth time during the Leo Awards last Sunday.
But his partner Cjay Perez only saw action for four minutes and scored two points due to an ankle sprain he suffered during the Gilas Pilipinas stint in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 in Saudi Arabia.
Trollano fired 17 points, while Jericho Cruz added 12 points in the Beermen defeat.
The scores:
NLEX 85 – Ramirez 16, Policarpio 16, Alas 13, Bahio 12, Rodger 9, Valdez 6, Amer 5, Semerad 4, Nieto 2, Torres 2, Fajardo 0, Herndon 0.
San Miguel 84 – Fajardo 18, Trollano 17, Cruz 12, Lassiter 8, Tiongson 7, Tautuaa 6, Cahilig 5, Teng 2, Perez 2, Ross 0, Miller 0.
Quarters: 22-25; 32-42; 66-67; 85-84.
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