MANILA – NLEX Road Warriors rode on the hot hands of Robert Bolick Jr. in the fourth quarter to score a 99-96 victory over Meralco Bolts in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup on Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Down 90-91 with a minute left, Bolick drilled two free throws followed by a layup by Enoch Valdez and two more free throws each from Bolick and Anthony Semerad to establish a 98-91 lead.
Bolts made its last push as Chris Newsome drained two free throws followed by a three-pointer by Allein Maliksi to cut the deficit to 96-98, but a split free throw by Valdez increased the Road Warriors’ lead to 99-96.
Bolick top-scored for the Road Warriors with 26 points, with 16 coming in the fourth quarter, to go with eight rebounds and four assists as they improved to a 2-1 win-loss slate.
Valdez chipped in 12 points, six rebounds, three steals, and a block, while Negrense Jhan McHale Nermal contributed 11 markers to go with two rebounds for the Road Warriors.
From a tight first quarter, the Road Warriors went on a huge run in the second quarter behind the rookie tandem of Nermal and Valdez as they established a 51-43 halftime lead.
The Bolts, however, turned things around in the third quarter to surge ahead at 72-64 before maintaining a double-digit lead at 85-75 in the fourth period after a basket by Negrense Raymar Jose.
Bolick then single handedly carried the Road Warriors back in the game by unloading 14 consecutive points to cut the deficit to 87-89 before they took a 90-89 lead on a three-pointer by Robbie Herndon.
“I warned our players of our third quarter collapse. It happens all the time, and nangyari na naman in this game, we have a 15-points swing then we have to catch up,” said NLEX head coach Frankie Lim. “Buti na lang may Bolick kami.”
Chris Newsome finished with 22 points, Jose added 14 markers, while Raymond Almazan, Maliksi, and Clifford Hodge ended with 13, 12, and 10 points, respectively, as the dropped to 1-2./PN
BOX SCORE:
NLEX 99 – Bolick 26, Valdez 12, Nermal 11, Herndon 9, Semerad 9, Marcelo 7, Miranda 7, Fajardo 6, Nieto 5, Amer 3, Ular 2, Pascual 2.
MERALCO 96 – Newsome 22, Jose 14, Almazan 13, Maliksi 12, Hodge 10, Torres 9, Black 5, Quinto 5, Banchero 4, Rios 2, Caram 0, Mendoza 0, Pascual 0.
Quarterscores: 26-28, 51-43, 64-72, 99-96.
