ANTIPOLO — Terrafirma avoided falling victim to a crucial call late in the game to beat NLEX, 113-112, for its second win in a row in the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup, Saturday evening at the Ynares Center here.
Aldrech Ramos broke the 111-all tie after cleaning up Stephen Holt’s missed floater with 3.7 seconds left, but the Dyip got into a precarious position when Javi Gomez de Liano got called for a foul on Thomas Robinson moments after.
Fortunately for them, the former NBA veteran missed his second free throw, and Kemark Carino was there to collar the board as time expired.
“I was really frustrated sa call,” admitted head coach John Cardel. “But the players never backed down … sinwerte kami namiss ‘yung huli.”
Their escape also preserved the career-high performance of Javi Gomez de Liano, who finished with 31 points and five rebounds. The sophomore forward also had five rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a block.
Import Thomas de Thaey provided 23 points and 16 rebounds although he wasn’t able to play in the final seconds due to an apparent groin injury.
No. 1 pick Holt finally broke out as he registered 21 points on a 50-percent clip, alongside six rebounds and six assists in nearly 42 minutes.
Isaac Go made 17 points while Juami Tiongson supplied 14 points and six assists for the Dyip, who improved to 2-1 following the win.
Terrafirma will look to make it a hat-trick of wins against Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and TNT on November 22 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Wasted by the loss, on the other hand, was the second straight 40-point outing of Robinson, who also finished with nine rebounds and four assists.
Don Trollano made 19 points, Kris Rosales 13, while Sean Anthony and Michael Miranda added 10 points apiece for the Road Warriors, which failed to replicate their come-from-behind win over San Miguel the last time out.
But more than the result, NLEX has its fingers crossed that Kevin Alas suffered nothing serious. Their main man is feared to have sustained another ACL injury as his left knee buckled at the 11:11 mark of the second quarter.
The Road Warriors (1-2) are also seeing action on the 22nd against NorthPort, looking, of course, to get back on track immediately.
The Scores:
Terrafirma 113 – Gomez de Liano 31, De Thaey 23, Holt 21, Go 17, Tiongson 14, Ramos 4, Carino 3, Camson 0, Daquioag 0, Olivario 0, Alolino 0, Cahilig 0.
NLEX 112 – Robinson 40, Trollano 19, Rosales 13, Anthony 10, Miranda 10, Rodger 8, Herndon 7, Nieto 3, Semerad 2, Marcelo 0, Alas 0.
Quarterscores: 22-31, 51-53, 81-79, 113-112.
