NLEX escaped TNT in a crazy endgame by way of a 93-90 decision to tie their PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup best-of-5 quarterfinal series at one game apiece, Friday night at the Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Complex in Laguna.
The Road Warriors appeared to have the game on lock when Robert Bolick and DeQuan Jones connived to give themselves a 92-87 lead with 24 seconds remaining, but Rondae Hollis-Jefferson refused to go down without a fight.
The conference’s reigning Best Import managed to bait a foul from Javee Mocon from near the top of the four-point arc with 3.4 seconds on the clock, but he only managed to make the first two of those all-important charities.
Still, RHJ got the offensive board and scored right after, but a review by the referees showed that he actually committed a loose ball foul on Mocon.
Mocon wouldn’t waste the opportunity he had to close the match out with 2.5 ticks left to play, making the first freebie before missing the second on purpose to run the clock as NLEX went on to walk away with the three-point victory.
“I don’t remember… I don’t remember what happened. I can’t recall,” said head coach Jong Uichico, smiling as he was just in awe of how wild the finish was between the MVP Group teams. “All I know is it was hard for both teams.”
Jones finished with a game-high 38 points and 12 rebounds to lead NLEX. The 34-year-old winger scored 24 of his points in the second half in a performance that saw him shoot 12-of-16 from the field and 11-of-12 from the line.
Bolick backed him up with 16 points, nine of which he made in the fourth quarter alone, including the crucial three-point play conversion that gave the Road Warriors the lead for good, 90-87, with 2:11 to go in the game.
Shooter Robbie Herndon fell just short of a double-double as he finished with eight points — all in the third canto — and 11 rebounds.
Hollls-Jefferson, on the other hand, finished with 22 points and 22 rebounds as TNT fell just short of posting a commanding 2-0 series lead.
Jayson Castro and Roger Pogoy had 19 points apiece although the seasoned gunner wasn’t able to finish the game as he got booted out after being whistled for his sixth foul, which actually led to Bolick’s three-point play.
Rey Nambatac added 11 while Calvin Oftana added nine in the loss, wherein the Tropa committed costly misses errors in the endgame that ultimately stymied their attempt of taking down NLEX for the second time in a row.
Game 3 is on Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The Scores:
NLEX 93 – Jones 38, Bolick 16, Herndon 8, Amer 6, Valdez 5, Rodger 4, Policarpio 4, Anthony 4, Nermal 3, Mocon 3, Miranda 2, Semerad 0, Nieto 0, Torres 0.
TNT 90 – Hollis-Jefferson 22, Castro 19, Pogoy 19, Nambatac 11, Oftana 9, Aurin 6, Khobuntin 2, Williams 2, Galinato 0, Heruela 0, Reyes 0, Erram 0.
Quarterscores: 24-21, 40-40, 69-64, 93-90.
