Robert Bolick and Xyrus Torres led a furious comeback for NLEX, rallying from a 19-point deficit to hand Magnolia another tough loss, 107-99, and secure the first twice-to-beat advantage in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup on Friday evening at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
After falling behind by as many as 13-32 in the opening quarter, Bolick’s all-around brilliance of 25 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and one block, along with Torres’ bounce-back performance of 22 points on 8-of-13 shooting, proved pivotal.
The Road Warriors improved to 8-2, becoming the first team to clinch one of the four coveted twice-to-beat incentives in the playoffs.
Having already toppled heavyweights like TNT, Ginebra, and Rain or Shine, NLEX passed its final elimination round test. They not only beat another championship contender in Magnolia, but also sent the Hotshots to their third loss in four games.
“Buti na lang [na] we kept our composure and poise and we came back and we were able to get back into the game. ‘Yon yung naging focus mula nung first quarter, kaya naka-recover sila. Buti nanalo naman,” Road Warriors head coach Jong Uichico said.
(C) PBA Images
A layup by Zavier Lucero kept Magnolia within striking distance at 64-all in the third quarter, but NLEX continued to surge at the right time. It uncorked a 16-6 run — highlighted by back-to-back four-pointers from Bolick — to enter the payoff period with a 10-point, 80-70 advantage.
The Road Warriors retained a comfortable 96-80 lead with less than six minutes left in the contest, but the Hotshots staged one final comeback. A layup by Jerom Lastimosa, a four-pointer from Paul Lee, and an inside hit by Lucero trimmed the deficit to 101-91 with two minutes remaining.
However, Magnolia would only come that close. A crucial errant pass by Ian Sanggalang — along with a dagger three-pointer by Robert Bolick and an and-one layup from Jonnel Policarpio — sealed NLEX’s eighth win in 10 outings and their playoff bonus.
Brandon Ramirez broke out with a near double-double outing of 18 points and nine rebounds. Meanwhile, Policarpio went perfect with 12 points on 4-of-4 shooting with six rebounds, two assists, and one block.
Javee Mocon also converted all of his attempts with 10 points on 5-of-5 shooting with four assists, three rebounds, and three steals, while Kevin Alas chipped in nine points, three rebounds, three assists, and one block.
Now armed with a playoff bonus, the Road Warriors shift their focus to securing the top seed when they face the eliminated NorthPort Batang Pier next Wednesday, June 11, at the same venue.
(C) PBA Images
Meanwhile, the loss puts Magnolia in a precarious position in their own bid for a twice-to-beat advantage. After opening the conference with a perfect 6-0 start, the Hotshots have now dropped to 7-3.
Their playoff hopes are now under threat, with San Miguel (6-2) and a trio of contenders — TNT, Barangay Ginebra, and Rain or Shine (all at 6-3) — ready to spoil their bid for a postseason incentive.
Lucero paced Magnolia in the loss with a double-double performance of 23 points and 12 rebounds with two blocks, while Sanggalang followed closely with 21 points on 10-of-12 shooting with three rebounds and two assists.
Lastimosa contributed 17 points, four rebounds, and three assists, while Lee tallied 16 points on 4-of-7 shooting (3-of-4 from four-point territory) with three rebounds, two assists, and two steals.
In his second game in a Hotshots uniform, William Navarro struggled with two points on 1-of-7 shooting and three turnovers but contributed seven rebounds, one assist, one steal, and one block.
Magnolia will aim to break out of their slump in a critical showdown against TNT on Friday, June 13, also at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, to close out the elimination round.
The Scores:
NLEX 107 – Bolick 25, Torres 22, Ramirez 18, Policarpio 12, Mocon 10, Alas 9, Bahaio 5, Valdez 4, Nieto 2, Semerad 0, Miranda 0, Herndon 0
Magnolia 99 – Lucero 23, Sangalang 21, Lastimosa 17, Lee 16, Ahanmisi 8, Alfaro 4, Dionisio 4, Barroca 2, Navarro 2, Laput 2, Dela Rosa 0
Quarterscores: 15-32, 44-46, 80-70, 107-99
