MANILA – NLEX Road Warriors kept its 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs hopes alive with a 120-117 overtime stunner against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings last night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
After failing to close out the Gin Kings in the regulation, the Road Warriors opened the extension period with a three-pointer from Earl Clark to take a 116-113 advantage.
The Gin Kings reclaimed the lead at 117-116 with back-to-back hits from Japeth Aguilar and Earl Scottie Thompson but the Road Warriors surged ahead anew at 119-117.
Negrense Paul Varilla then widened NLEX’s lead to 120-117 via a split free throw. Ginebra still had a chance for another extension but Jamie Malonzo and Justin Brownlee missed their triple attempts.
Clark finished with 37 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists, while Celedonio Trollano drilled all of his 26 points in the second half as the Road Warriors kept its quarterfinals hopes alive with its 4-7 slate.
Kevin Alas chipped in 18 markers, while Ganuelas-Rosser and Matt Nieto also hit double-digits in scoring with 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Road Warriors.
Brownlee top-scored with 39 points, Thompson, Japeth Aguilar and Malonzo added 17, 13 and 12 markers, respectively, while Stanley Pringle and Jeremiah Gray had 11 each as the Gin Kings dropped to 7-3.
In the first game, Rain or Shine Elasto Painters kept its quarterfinals hopes alive with a 116-97 rout of Blackwater Bossing. The Painters improved to 5-6, while the Bossing dropped to 3-9.
Clinging to a 24-20 lead after the first 12 minutes, the Painters created separation in the second period behind Ryan Pearson and Rey Nambatac before settling for a 51-45 halftime lead.
The Painters continued its run in the second half with Norbert Torres connecting from inside and outside while Nambatac also had his share of points as the lead reached its largest at 21 points.
Pearson tallied 22 points, 15 rebounds and five assists to lead the Painters, Nambatac added 21 markers, while Anton Asistio and Torres ended with 13 each as the Painters.
BOX SCORES:
NLEX 120 – Clark 37, Trollano 26, Alas 18, Nieto 10, Chua 9, Rosales 8, Ganuelas-Rosser 8, Varilla 1, Miranda 0.
GINEBRA 117 – Brownlee 39, Thompson 17, J.Aguilar 13, Malonzo 12, Gray 11, Pringle 11, Standhardinger 9, Tenorio 5, Mariano 0.
Quarterscores: 25-22, 54-58, 90-83, 113-113, 120-117./PN
