BACOLOD CITY - Robert Bolick has added his name to PBA All-Star game lore with the amazing five-point play that shook basketball fans from the doldrums as the mid-season extravaganza pulled off a game for the ages on Sunday night.
Past All-Star matches had not seen anything as memorable as the one that concluded at the jampacked University of St. La Salle gym and now it's likely future All Star games will be measured in terms of the excitement generated by the last one.
READ Bolick hits 5-point play as Team Mark ties Team Japeth
Coach Tim Cone, whose team it was on the other end of Bolick's heroics, summed it up succinctly and said Bolick will be remembered from here on for converting that rare shot in the waning seconds which knotted the count and resulted in the first stalemate in the annals of the mid-season fanfest since 2017.
“That’s Robert. That’s a legendary shot and it’s gonna be an All-Star legend shot,” said Cone, taking in stride the heartbreaking result in which Team Japeth failed to protect a 32-point lead early in the second quarter and settled for the tie. There's no overtime for tied All-Star games.
“And in the next 10 All- Stars they’re always going to talk about that particular shot.”
Down 140-135, Team Mark forced a second straight turnover on Team Japeth and the ball going to Bolick. Not missing a beat, Bolick aimed for the basket, from the four-point line, about 25 feet away, and converted - with a foul to boot from Calvin Oftana, 17 seconds left.
The NLEX star then sank the free throw to complete the history-making conversion.
The PBA had added a four-point line to go with its regular three-point line for the All-Star Game.
Oftana had a chance to make amends and win the game, but his layup did not fall.
Cone later kidded Oftana about making Bolick an All-Star legend.
“Robert is going to owe him (Oftana) some money for the endorsements he’ll get for being an All-Star legend,” said the Team Japeth coach. "Robert made an incredible shot and that’s what he does, making incredible shots. That’s why he’s an All-Star.”
Bolick finished with just 13 points, but came alive in the fourth quarter where he fired 10 including that incredible 5-point play in the endgame. He ended up sharing the MVP award with Japeth Aguilar as the two received a prize of P20,000 each.
Sour taste in the mouth
Cone admitted the result left a sour taste in the mouth especially with his side leading the game for the most part, enjoying its biggest advantage at 56-24 in the second quarter.
But in the end, the champion coach said the thrilling finish gave the overflow crowd at the University of St. La Salle gymnasium a huge treat at the end of the All-Star festivities.
“The bottom line is that this is for the fans, and it’s a beautiful game for the fans,” he said.
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