Robert Bolick once again showed he can close out the show for his NLEX Road Warriors, firing six big points in the endgame to help his team iron out a 118-113 victory over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The win improved NLEX’s PBA Commissioner’s Cup record to 3-1 and dropped Ginebra to 1-1.
What Happened?
Ginebra roared to a quick 30-18 start behind a hot start from Justin Brownlee and back-to-back treys from Troy Rosario and Isaac Go in a 22-3 run to end the opening frame. NLEX got back quickly in the second, as LJ Gonzales, Cady Lalanne, and Robert Bolick helped the Road Warriors outscore Ginebra, 36-29, to enter intermission just down by five, 59-54.
NLEX stayed hot in the third quarter, dropping another 38 points to Ginebra’s 28 to take a 92-87 lead into the final frame. The Road Warriors seemed to seize control when they took a 100-93 lead two minutes into the fourth, only for Ginebra to unleash a 19-6 run to take a 112-106 lead with under five minutes left. That’s when NLEX stormed back, outscoring Ginebra, 12-1, the rest of the way, with Lalanne accounting for 4 points and Bolick scoring the last 6—a triple to give the Road Warriors a 115-113 lead and the insurance freebies.
Who Stood Out?
Bolick was as good as advertised on Friday, methodically breaking down Ginebra’s defense on his way to 32 points on 11-for-19 shooting. He also had 4 rebounds and 7 assists, while closing out the show. Lalanne carved up Ginebra as well, going off for 28 points and 14 rebounds, while Schonny Winston and LJ Gonzales chipped in 21 and 14, respectively.
Ginebra, on the other hand, rode on the game-long brilliance of Justin Brownlee, who finished with a game-high 46 points on 16-for-22 shooting from the field. He added 6 rebounds and 8 assists in a throwback Magic Brownlee outing.
3 Keys to the Game
- Berto, the closer. NLEX coach Jong Uichico once said that Bolick was born to make big plays, and make big plays he did against Ginebra. Berto delivered in the clutch, assisting on a crucial Lalanne dunk and then burying the go-ahead triple a few plays later.
- Interior scoring. With Lalanne going to work in the post and Berto getting to the teeth of Ginebra’s defense, the Road Warriors delivered in the paint, scoring 46 big points compared to Ginebra’s 34.
- Three-point shooting. While both teams made more than 10 treys, the Road Warriors shot just a little better and made theirs at the right time. In all, NLEX went 13-for-25 from distance—including Berto’s go-ahead trey with less than a minute left. Ginebra, in contrast, shot 11-for-26 and missed their last five.
Next Up for the PBA
Saturday, March 28, 2026 | Smart Araneta Coliseum
Magnolia Hotshots vs. Macau Black Knights (5:00 p.m.)
San Miguel Beermen vs. TNT Tropang 5G (7:30 p.m.)
