The NLEX Road Warriors leaned on contributions from up and down the roster to turn back the Magnolia Hotshots, 112-105, on Sunday PBA action at the Ynares Center in Montalban. With the win, NLEX improved to 2-0, while Magnolia dropped to 0-2.
What Happened?
NLEX and Magnolia went at it right from the opening tip, with neither team giving an inch. The Road Warriors barely won the first quarter, 27-26, while the Hotshots got it back by winning the second, 33-30, for a 59-57 lead going into intermission.
It was more of the same in the second half, with NLEX regaining the lead at the end of three thanks to a 25-21 third canto. The game was still tied at 84 when Kevin Alas hit a technical free throw to give the Road Warriors the lead for good. Anthony Semerad followed with a triple for an 88-84 cushion before Alas, Schonny Winston, and Robert Bolick finished the job.
Who Stood Out?
It was a total team effort for NLEX against Magnolia, as seven Road Warriors, led by Cady Lalanne’s 24, finished in double figures. Bolick was superb again, finishing with 14 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, while Ljay Gonzales sparked NLEX with 13 points, 7 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal off the bench. Winston also had a good game and punctuated it with a dagger trey that gave the Road Warriors a 111-103 lead with 47 seconds left.
Magnolia, on the other hand, rode on another spectacular showing from Jerom Lastimosa, who fired 23 points on an ultra-efficient 9-for-11 shooting from the field. Import Nuni Omot had a better game this time around with 32 points, 9 rebounds, and 6 assists, while Zavier Lucero and Rome Dela Rosa chipped in 16 and 17, respectively.
3 Keys to the Game
- Bench play. NLEX’s reserves totally outplayed their Magnolia counterparts, outscoring them 46-11. JB Bahio, Alas, and Gonzales all scored at least 13, while no one from the Magnolia bench scored more than four.
- Offensive rebounding. On a night when both teams shot at least 49%, it was the team that got extra possessions that won. Thanks to Bahio and Lalanne, NLEX had a 16-8 advantage in offensive rebounds, which led to 14 more second-chance points—10 more than Magnolia’s 4.
- Turnovers. While the Road Warriors took care of the ball and committed only 9 turnovers, the Hotshots coughed it up 15 times, resulting in an 11-8 advantage for NLEX in points off turnovers.
Next Up for the PBA
Wednesday, March 18, 2026 | Ynares Center Antipolo
Terrafirma Dyip vs. Blackwater Bossing (5:00 p.m.)
Meralco Bolts vs. Converge FiberXers (7:30 p.m.)
