Robert Bolick doesn’t mind missing out on a rare triple-double as long as NLEX got the W in its PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup debut on Thursday.
The star guard was just a rebound shy of the statistical feat as he finished with 24 points, nine rebounds, and 11 assists in their 104-87 rout of Blackwater, although he had a chance to get it during the game’s closing moments.
He was in a good spot to haul down the missed triple of Sedrick Barefield with under a minute left to play, but Myke Henry collared the board instead.
Bolick did go after the rebound after being informed by NLEX analytics coach Anton Escolin – but their import got to the ball first.
(C) PBA Images
“‘Yung si Anton kasi sumigaw, lakas ng boses e, narinig ko nung papatalbog pa lang. Sinabi ko kay Myke, ‘Mine!’ e kinuha niya. OK lang,” he recalled with a smile during the postgame presser at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
All that matters to Bolick is the victory, as the rest of the Road Warriors wanted to give Jong Uichico a successful PBA head coaching return.
“Gusto namin bigyan si Coach Jong ng first win niya,” said the 28-year-old guard out of San Beda, who shot 58-percent from the floor – that included a four-pointer – in the win.
Uichico last served as a chief mentor in the league back in 2016 with TNT, and winning his first game with NLEX helped get some pressure off him.
(C) Neo Garcia/NLEX
“Masaya naman,” said the nine-time champion coach. “Masaya naman talaga ako ‘pag nanalo. Pero siyempre, parang medyo nakahinga – first game, first win, medyo nape-presssure ka kung tama ba yung ginawa mo nung off-season.
“Kasi siyempre, iba ‘yung assistant ka sa Gilas, iba ‘yung assistant ka sa NLEX, iba ‘yun e. Pero ‘pag andun ka na, ibang usapan na yun eh. Ikaw na nagtitimon, ikaw na lahat. Lahat nasa’yo,” added the 62-year-old.
“Medyo nakahinga. Makakatulog ako mamayang gabi maski isang beses lang bago ang laro [sa Linggo].”
