Here are the players who made the biggest impact on October 25 and the stats to prove it.
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE DAY:
Deonte DeAngelo Burton NLX PF 27 PTS | 11 REB | 3 BLK | 56.2 FPS
Burton came out firing against Phoenix, scoring 10 points in the first two minutes and remaining effective throughout, shooting 8-for-14 from the floor and 4-for-8 from deep while also hitting 7-of-8 from the line. He also stood out on defense, recording a game-high six stocks, including two big blocks in the final two minutes to help seal the win.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson TNT PF 26 PTS | 9 REB | 3 STL | 50.3 FPS
The three-time Best Import had a tough start against Magnolia, missing all of his first six shots from the floor. But he quickly turned things around, scoring 21 points in three quarters. He was just as impressive in other areas, leading all players in both assists and steals while also finishing second in the team in rebounds.
Ricci Paolo Rivero PHX SF 24 PTS | 9 REB | 5 AST | 39.3 FPS
Rivero had a slow offensive start, tallying only two points in the opening period. But he eventually got his groove back, dropping 10 points in the second and adding seven in the fourth before fouling out. He finished as the best local scorer of the game with his third 20-point outing of the conference.
Robert Lee Bolick NLX PG 20 PTS | 4 REB | 4 AST | 35.8 FPS
Bolick set the pace offensively and came through when it mattered most in NLEX’s Game 1 win over Phoenix. He posted his fifth 20-point game of the conference before stepping up in the fourth quarter with crucial plays that helped his team close out the win.
Kenyon Joseph Buffen MAG SF 18 PTS | 9 REB | 1 BLK | 33.8 FPS
In his first seven games of the conference, Buffen has been a dominant offensive force, averaging 28.2 points. But he was far from that level in his last three games, putting up just 16.0 points per game. The team will definitely need him to figure things out for them to turn the series around.
Marcellus St. Clair Earlington PHX PF 14 PTS | 13 REB | 4 AST | 32.6 FPS
Earlington registered his second double-double and dominated the boards with a game-high in rebounds. However, his offensive struggles were undeniable, he shot just 6-for-19 from the floor for a conference-low mark while also committing six turnovers.
Kainoa Bryson Ballungay PHX PF 20 PTS | 8 REB | 1 BLK | 31.6 FPS
Phoenix got a massive lift from their sophomore big man in Game 1, who dropped 19 points through three quarters to mark his highest scoring output of the conference. He has also shown a new side to his game lately, hitting 7-of-15 from deep over his last four outings.
Zavier Lucero MAG SF 14 PTS | 10 REB | 1 BLK | 30.5 FPS
In his return from an ankle injury, the Magnolia forward immediately produced, posting his fourth double-double of the conference. Still, he’s capable of much more offensively. Back in the elimination rounds, he was a major scoring force, putting up 15.5 points per game on 45.9% shooting from two and 48% from deep.
Calvin John Oftana TNT SG 13 PTS | 11 REB | 24.2 FPS
Offensively, Oftana had another subpar outing. But he more than made up for it on the glass, pulling down four offensive rebounds to finish with a game-high and conference-high output.
Roger Ray Pogoy TNT SF 12 PTS | 5 REB | 1 BLK | 23.0 FPS
Pogoy provided a well-rounded performance for TNT in Game 1 against Magnolia. Offensively, he came out firing in the first half, leading all players with 12. He also delivered on defense, matching his conference-high in rebounds while also adding two stocks.
Rey Benedict Nambatac TNT PG 12 PTS | 4 AST | 18.0 FPS
Nambatac gave TNT a strong offensive boost off the bench in Game 1. He was highly efficient, converting 5-of-6 from the field while providing solid playmaking and finishing without a single turnover.
Christian Tyler Tio PHX PG 9 PTS | 2 REB | 5 AST | 17.9 FPS
The Phoenix guard continues to have a hard time offensively, shooting just 2-for-8 and finishing with another subpar performance. He did make up for it in playmaking, raising his average to 4.1 assists per game.
Jordan Timothy Heading TNT SG 6 PTS | 2 REB | 2 STL | 15.9 FPS
Since returning from injury, Heading has been a steady offensive presence for TNT, averaging 16.3 points through seven games. He fell far short of that standard today, however, scoring under 10 points for the first time in that span.
Anthony Semerad NLX PF 11 PTS | 3 REB | 14.6 FPS
Semerad provided another positive offensive impact for NLEX. He finished with his fifth double-digit scoring game of the conference while averaging 10.1 points over his last six games.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE DAY:
Jerom Lastimosa MAG PG 6 PTS | 6 REB | 2 AST | 14.2 FPS
Offensively, Lastimosa has been producing at an elite level lately but he never got going against TNT in Game 1, shooting just 2-for-10 from the field and finishing with one of his worst scoring games of the conference.
