The NLEX Road Warriors continued to roll on Saturday, pulling out a 100-81 rout of the Converge FiberXers at the Ninoy Aquinon Stadium to assume solo leadership of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup standings at the moment. The win is NLEX’s ninth against two defeats and assures them of a win-once edge in the quarterfinals. The loss is Converge’s seventh against only four wins and effectively eliminated them from playoff contention.
What Happened?
It was a tale of two quarters in the first half, with NLEX storming out to a 23-11 lead on the heels of an early Robert Bolick takeover. Converge flipped the script in the second, this time holding down the Road Warriors to only 11 points while firing 25 to take a 36-34 lead into intermission.
NLEX retook the lead for good at 47-45 at the halfway mark of the third on two Schonny Winston freebies. Including Winston’s freebies, the Road Warriors outscored the FiberXers 17-7 after the game was tied at 45 at the 7:51 mark to take a 62-54 lead to the final frame. Another 17-8 spurt by NLEX, sparked by back-to-back triples from Xyrus Torres and Tony Semerad, broke the game open at 79-62 as the Road Warriors cruised to the win the rest of the way.
Who Stood Out?
Winston showed up the team that traded him, putting in a splendid all-around performance of 21 points, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals while getting to the line 16 times (and making 13). Bolick had 21 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists as he allowed his teammates to star against Converge.
As for the FiberXers, only Justin Arana had a good game with his 21 points and 7 rebounds. Archie Concepcion provided a bit of a spark with his 11 points off the bench, but it was a meek response to NLEX’s onslaught.
3 Keys to the Game
- Strong second half. After getting limited to 11 points in the second quarter, NLEX turned up the heat after intermission, scoring 28 in the third and 38 in the fourth to ultimately get to 100. In contrast, Converge put up just 18 in the third and struggled early in the fourth, allowing the Road Warriors to break the game open.
- Free throw shooting. Controversial or not, NLEX got a huge advantage in freebies, getting to the line 36 times and making 28. In contrast, the FiberXers attempted only 9 free throws and made 5.
- Composure. For most of the second half, it seemed like the FiberXers were constantly complaining about the officiating. Put simply, it looked as if the calls and non-calls were affecting them, and it showed in missed rotations on defense and hurried shots on offense.
Next Up for the PBA
Sunday, May 3, 2026 | Smart Araneta Coliseum
Meralco Bolts vs. Blackwater Bossing (5:15 p.m.)
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters vs. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (7:30 p.m.)
