With the NLEX Road Warriors hanging on precariously to an 81-79 lead against the Blackwater Bossing with about 40 seconds left, Robert Bolick found himself one-on-one against Sedrick Barefield on the left wing, just half a step from the three-point line. Berto, as he likes to do, rose up for the trey.
Swoosh.
Like he usually does, Bolick hit a dagger three, extending NLEX’s lead to five to put the game away and give the Road Warriors their first win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Bolick Was Built for These Moments—Uichico
Not that Jong Uichico was surprised. For the multi-titled coach, Berto hitting a big shot is par for the course because “he was born to take those shots.”
“Alam naman ni Berto kung nitty-gritty, wala nang tanong-tanong dun. Siya na, it’s his game,” Uichico said of Bolick’s game-sealing long bomb. “That’s what he was born to be. He was born to take those shots. Not everybody is willing to take the shot kasi you can lose, you can win, but see Berto has that DNA to take that shot, to take that burden…”
Bolick, indeed, took that burden—and then some. Prior to that big trey, the many-time All-Star had already fired 10 fourth-quarter points, including six unanswered to jump-start a huge 12-0 blast that turned a 69-75 deficit into an 81-75 advantage. Again, Uichico wasn’t the least bit surprised.
“Alam naman ni Berto kung kailan siya kailangan. Hindi naman pwedeng one minute pa lang, Berto na. So, alam niya kung kailan siya kailangan mag-double effort in terms of scoring,” Uichico astutely pointed out.
Making the Most Out of Big-Game Chances
For his part, Berto says he’s just relishing opportunities to make the big plays. Even so, he is quick to point out that he’s more than willing to give up the ball to an open teammate—if any.
“Eto ‘yung mga games na gusto mo as a player. Sinasabi nga ni coach, basketball konti lang sa buhay mo, tatanda ka rin, [at] mami-miss mo ‘yung mga ganitong situations,” Bolick said. “So, kung may ganto, take ko na agad ‘yung opportunity. Pero kung may libre naman, why not? Trust ko talaga teammates ko, nakita ko paano sila nagtrabaho… so, kung sino ‘yung open bibigay namin.”
But on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, it was Bolick versus Barefield on the left wing, with the game still in the balance.
Robert Bolick put it to rest.
