Wednesday turned out to be the day of the underdogs as PBA Season 50 continued at Ynares Center Antipolo. After the Titan Ultra Giant Risers stunned the Meralco Bolts in the first game, the NLEX Road Warriors followed suit by pulling the rug from under the San Miguel Beermen, 85-84, in a game they played without superstar Robert Bolick, who was out due to the death of a family member.
What Happened?
San Miguel built a double-digit lead in the first half by outscoring NLEX 17-10 in the second canto to enter intermission ahead, 42-32. The Beermen looked well in control up until the last three minutes of the third period, when the Road Warriors erased a 66-54 deficit with a 12-1 windup. It was nip and tuck from there, with NLEX finally getting ahead in the fourth and ultimately holding off the defending champions.
Who Stood Out?
Jonel Policarpio, JB Bahio, and Brandon Ramirez played like a Big Three against San Miguel, combining for 44 points and 21 rebounds. Policarpio finished with 16 markers on an efficient 6-for-9 from the field on top of 3 boards, 2 assists, and 2 steals, while Ramirez had 16 points and 6 boards. Bahio added 12 points and 12 caroms in another yeoman’s effort.
On the other side, June Mar Fajardo had a casual 18-point, 15-rebound double-double to lead the Beermen. Don Trollano finished with 17 and came alive in the fourth quarter to keep San Miguel in lockstep with NLEX.
3 Keys to the Game
- NLEX turned on the jets. Without Bolick, the Road Warriors unsurprisingly struggled in the half-court game. So, in the second half, they picked up the tempo and scored most of their 19 fast-break points, including a couple of breakaways from Policarpio.
- NLEX capitalized on San Miguel’s turnovers. The Road Warriors forced 16 Beermen turnovers and made sure to convert those forced errors into points. In total, NLEX had 26 points off turnovers as opposed to 4 from San Miguel.
- San Miguel coasted. It seems reductive to say this, but it sure looked like the Beermen stepped off the gas when they built a sizable lead in the third. That was the opening NLEX needed to get back in the game and regain confidence.
Next Up for the PBA
The last four PBA teams—Blackwater Bossing, TNT Tropang 5G, Phoenix Fuel Masters, and Terrafirma Dyip—make their debut as the league goes to Ynares Center in Montalban.
Blackwater vs. Terrafirma | TNT vs. Phoenix
