ANTIPOLO — NLEX pulled through despite losing DeQuan Jones by outlasting TNT in overtime, 118-111, to regain its winning ways in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center here on Tuesday night.
The Road Warriors lost their import due to a broken leg during the third and understandably lost the lead. However, they regained their bearings in time to get back into the match through a solid display of character.
Robert Bolick knocked down a big four-pointer to force extra time before L-Jay Gonzales and Tony Semerad helped the breakaway, with the team bouncing back from a shock loss to Terrafirma.
The trio put together a strong 9-2 run to finish the game, enabling NLEX to remain atop Group A. They improved to 7-1 and became the first team to qualify for the playoffs, according to league stats chief Fidel Mangonon III.
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“My deepest prayers go out to DJ,” said Coach Jimmy Alapag. “More than the basketball player, it’s the person. He and I just had lunch yesterday. His value to this team goes far beyond what he does on the basketball court.
“It’s heartbreaking to see him go down, but I’m so proud of my guys,” he added. “I told them when DJ went down, that the best thing we can do to honor what he means to this team is to come out and fight for the rest of the game.”
Bolick finished with 27 points, five rebounds, and eight assists to lead the Road Warriors, while Gonzales submitted a career-high 26 points.
The rookie guard out of FEU scored 14 points in the fourth and in OT, including six in the latter. He willingly stepped up and provided great help after Jones suffered a fractured leg at the 7:27-mark of the third, never to come back.
The 36-year-old reinforcement from Georgia left the game with 23 points — seemingly heading for yet another big game until the freak accident occurred.
“L-Jay was huge down the stretch,” Alapag said. “Just making big play after big play and I think L-Jay’s putting the PBA on notice that we’re not just a team with two guards, but we also have another star in the making coming up.”
Deschon Winston and JB Bahio supplied 11 points apiece and combined for 13 rebounds for NLEX, who may or may not play with an all-Filipino unit versus Converge this Friday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
“I’ll get our staff together, kasama ‘yung management, and try to figure out what to do, kasi ‘yung next game namin is Friday, so medyo bitin yung time,” said the former Sacramento player development coach. “But we’ll do the best we can.”
“But right now, all of our thoughts and prayers are with DJ. Big-time loss for our team, but we’ll try to find somebody who can fill that void,” he added.
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Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson had 30 and 13 rebounds to lead TNT, which fell to 4-4 and is now tied with the FiberXers as the latter beat the Dyip earlier.
Rey Nambatac had 28 points and five rebounds. Jordan Heading brought 17 points and seven assists, while Roger Pogoy and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser each chipped in 15 markers for the defending conference champions.
It was Pogoy who tried to keep his side in the thick of the fight by tying things up at 109-all with 3:31 to go. But NLEX responded, with Bolick finding Semerad open for a corner trifecta for the 112-109 lead.
And it would be all Road Warriors since, as the Tropa struggled to put up a solid reply. They only scored four points for the rest of the extra period.
The Scores:
NLEX 118 – Bolick 27, Gonzales 26, Jones 23, Winston 11, Bahio 11, Semerad 8, Alas 5, Gamboa 3, Valdez 2, Racal 2, Torres 0, Nelle 0.
TNT 111 – Hollis-Jefferson 30, Nambatac 28, Heading 17, Ganuelas-Rosser 15, Pogoy 15, Aurin 5, Ferrer 1, Khobuntin 0, Quitevis 0, Varilla 0, Erram 0, Galinato 0, Jalalon 0.
Quarterscores: 31-22, 60-53, 85-79, 107-107, 118-111.
