MANILA – NLEX Road Warriors kept its quarterfinals hopes alive with a 122-110 victory over Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the 2024-25 PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Saturday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Robert Bolick Jr. finished with a conference-high of 40 points, 10 assists, and six rebounds to be named Player of the Game as the Road Warriors improved to a 5-6 win-loss slate.
“Naka-focus lang kami in this game, alam namin ‘yung team sa kabila (Painters) desperado din eh, pero mas desperado kami kasi isang talo lang laglag na kami eh,” Bolick said in a post-game interview.
Michael Watkins added a double-double of 25 points and 14 rebounds, Anthony Semerad contributed 17 markers, while Xyrus Torres, Kevin Alas, and Javee Mocon contributed 12, 11, and 10 points, respectively, for NLEX.
“We don’t lose faith, we don’t lose hope, we are still there even if the chances are slim we are giving ourselves a chance,” Road Warriors head coach Joseph Uichico said after the game.
Deon Thompson finished with 26 points and 11 rebounds, Jhonard Clarito added 20 markers, while Adrian Nocum, Leonard Santillan, and Keith Datu had 16, 12, and 10 points, respectively, as the Painters dropped to a 6-5 mark.
Meanwhile, NorthPort Batang Pier surged to the top spot of the standings with a 120-93 rout of the Blackwater Bossing.
Arvin Tolentino finished with a triple-double of 14 points, 11 assists, and 10 rebounds in 31 minutes of action as the Batang Pier notched their ninth victory in 12 games for solo first place.
Reinforcement Kadeem Jack led the Batang Pier with 30 points and six rebounds; Joshua Munzon added 21 markers, while Allyn Bulanadi and Juan Paolo Taha had 12 points each.
Bacolodnon Justin Chua tallied 15 points and eight rebounds, while RK Ilagan contributed 11 markers for the Bossing, which concluded the conference with a 3-9 win-loss record./PN
BOX SCORE:
NLEX 122 – Bolick 40, Watkins 25, Semerad 17, Torres 12, Alas 11, Mocon 10, Policarpio 4, Ramirez 3, Herndon 0.
RAIN OR SHINE 110 – Thompson 26, Clarito 20, Nocum 16, Santillan 12, Datu 10, Caracut 8, Tiongson 4, Belga 4, Ildefonso 4, Lemetti 6, Norwood 0.
Quarterscores: 29-23, 65-48, 86-79, 122-110.
