Two teams right in the thick of things capped off the PBA’s Saturday doubleheader at the Ynares Center in Antipolo—the NLEX Road Warriors and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. Both the Elasto Painters and the Road Warriors are in the top four of the standings, but in this game, the latter proved too good for the former as they ran away with a 105-91 triumph. With the win, NLEX improved to 5-2, while Rain or Shine dropped to 5-2.
What Happened?
This was a game of runs, as most games are. NLEX got the first one, a 20-7 blitz to start the game. Rain or Shine then followed with a 24-6 outburst to take the lead, 31-26. The two teams battled it out in the second, with the Road Warriors nudging ahead, 52-47, to end the half. NLEX then unleashed the game’s most important run: a 10-0 spurt to build a 62-47 lead. The Road Warriors rode that hot start and extended their lead to 83-63 after three. It was all the cushion NLEX needed as it cruised to the rout.
Who Stood Out?
Robert Bolick, playing the role of facilitator in the previous games, finally found an offensive rhythm as he finished with 28 points to go along with his 5 rebounds and 4 assists. JB Bahio, meanwhile, continued his superb PBA Philippine Cup as he put up 17 markers on top of 9 rebounds and 5 assists while missing only one of his nine attempts.
Shaun Ildefonso shone for Rain or Shine, at least in the first half, where he hit three triples, all in that 24-6 blast that got the Elasto Painters the lead. But he tapered off after that, leaving only Jhonard Clarito as the lone Elasto Painter carrying the fight. In all, Clarito finished with 26 points, 8 rebounds, and 6 assists as he valiantly tried to keep Rain or Shine in the game.
3 Keys to the Game
- Interior scoring. Facing a team down to two big men, the Road Warriors aggressively attacked the paint, leading to 54 big points in the shaded lane.
- Defense. After that early Rain or Shine explosion, the Road Warriors clamped down on defense, holding the Elasto Painters to 37.6% from the field and forcing them into 13 turnovers. Impressively, NLEX held Rain or Shine to just 35 points in the middle two quarters.
- Balanced scoring. Yes, Berto exploded for a game-high 28, but he got plenty of help as five other Road Warriors scored in double digits while three others—Javee Mocon, Richie Rodger, and Robbie Herndon—added 6 apiece off the bench.
Next Up for the PBA
The PBA Philippine Cup won’t be holding games on Sunday as the league postponed the scheduled games (Magnolia Hotshots vs. TNT Tropang 5G and Titan Ultra Giant Risers vs. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel) due to the incoming typhoon. PBA action will instead resume on Wednesday with the Phoenix Fuel Masters and Terrafirma Dyip colliding in the first game, followed by the San Miguel Beermen and Titan Ultra Giant Risers facing off in the second game.
Phoenix vs. Terrafirma (5:15 p.m.)
San Miguel vs. Titan Ultra (7:30 p.m.)
