MANILA, Philippines – No team wants to fritter away a sizable lead, but a win is a win.
NLEX head coach Jong Uichico chose to look at the silver lining as the Road Warriors stayed unbeaten in the PBA Governors’ Cup after an uneasy 100-95 victory over Phoenix at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, August 25.
A potential blowout turned into a nip-and-tuck affair after NLEX squandered a lead as big as 23 points, but the Road Warriors made the right plays down the stretch to improve to 2-0 in Group B.
“If there is anything good that happened in this game, it is overcoming that adversity and not giving up and still maintaining our discipline and composure in the last minutes of the game,” said Uichico.
The Fuel Masters were on their way to a comeback win after seizing a 93-89 lead off an RR Garcia four-pointer with three minutes left only to witness NLEX close it out with an 11-2 run led by import Myke Henry and Robbie Herndon.
Henry answered with 5 straight points to regain the upper hand for the Road Warriors at 94-93 then assisted Herdon for a wide-open three-pointer inside the final 20 seconds that gave their side a 99-95 lead.
Jayjay Alejandro missed a game-tying four-point shot in the ensuing possession as Henry sealed the win with a free throw.
Henry shouldered the scoring load with 37 points to go with 9 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals in a game where NLEX main man Robert Bolick saw lesser offensive opportunities after a sensational season debut.
Bolick, who produced 24 points, 11 assists, and 9 rebounds in a 104-87 beating of Blackwater three days prior, still finished with 11 points, 9 assists, and 7 rebounds.
“That is why they brought me here, to carry the offense when we needed it and we needed it today. But I got to credit the players and the coaching staff for trusting me to make the right play,” said Henry.
Anthony Semerad added 13 points, Dominick Fajardo chimed in 10 points, and Herndon fired 9 points with 5 rebounds and 3 assists for the Road Warriors, who entered the break sitting on a comfortable 53-30 cushion.
But that lead shrunk to single digits at the end of the third quarter after Phoenix outscored NLEX, 37-23, in the period.
Garcia put up 18 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds, and 2 steals to show the way for the Fuel Masters, who dropped to 0-2.
Import Jayveous McKinnis tallied a double-double of 15 points and 14 rebounds, Jason Perkins had 13 points, 5 assists, and 4 rebounds, while Javee Mocon contributed 13 points and 8 rebounds in the loss.
The Scores
NLEX 100 – Henry 37, Semerad 13, Bolick 11, Fajardo 10, Herndon 9, Roger 8 , Amer 6, Marcelo 2, Policarpio 2, Valdez 2.
Phoenix 95 – Garcia 18, McKinnis 15, Perkins 13, Mocon 12, Tio 10, Ballungay 8, Alejandro 5, Verano 5, Tuffin 3, Jazul 2, Muyang 2, Daves 2, Salado 0, Rivero 0.
Quarters: 25-16, 53-30, 76-67, 100-95.
– Rappler.com