NLEX head coach Jong Uichico could only concede that TNT was the better playoff team after the defending champions disarmed the twice-to-beat crew in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal opener on Wednesday.
The top-seeded Road Warriors had the chance to finish off their sister team, given their win-once incentive, only for the Tropang 5G to flip the script and send their series to a rubber match, keeping their back-to-back bid alive.
“Medyo lumalabas ‘yung maturity ng TNT, playoff experience,” he told reporters shortly after their narrow 96-93 loss at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The gap in terms of experience was exposed most especially in the endgame, when NLEX struggled to stay firm after Robert Bolick fouled out.
He got called for his sixth and final foul with 4:33 to go, just moments after cutting the gap to 88-84 following a perfect trip to the free throw line.
In all fairness, the Road Warriors still tried to put up a fight in their main man’s absence, with the troika of Xyrus Torres, Deschon Winston, and Cady Lalanne stepping up to eventually tie things up at 93-all with only 1:24 remaining.
But they definitely could have used Robert Bolick’s services, as their resident closer who has proven himself time and again—whether by knocking down clutch shots or making the best possible play for his teammates.
(C) PBA Images
After knotting the game up, the Tropang 5G would take command, with Bol Bol stepping up on both ends–from hitting the crucial free throws, to helping put up a solid defensive stance in the final 68 seconds of the bout to secure the W.
As difficult as it was to miss Bolick in crunch time, Uichico chose to take a glass-half-full approach by pointing out the fight his players showed.
“It happens,” he said. “Yes, we wish, pero na-foul out siya. Still, we were able to find a way to stay in the game. ‘Yun ‘yung importante doon.”
He did admit, however, that fouls were a problem for his team as early as the first half, where they committed 17 of their 27 fouls—a major reason TNT was awarded 22 free throws in that stretch while they had none.
Bruising wing JB Bahio, for one, committed four personal fouls during the first two quarters, with Lalanne and Torres getting called for three each.
“First half pa lang, we gave up too many fouls,” Uichico said.
“‘Di nakalaro si Cady masyado tsaka si ano, but still we were in the game naman.”
Needless to say, it will be one of the things they will be addressing ahead of Saturday, where they will try to avoid being on the wrong side of history.
The Road Warriors are in danger of not advancing to the semifinals for the third time in four quarterfinals with a twice-to-beat advantage.
“Ganun talaga ang playoffs e,” the nine-time league champion coach said.
“Mistake, review, adjust, then you hope for the best in the next game.”
