The NLEX Road Warriors are suddenly one of the hottest teams in this PBA Philippine Cup after racing out to a 99-88 victory over the Blackwater Bossing on Wednesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. The win is the Road Warriors’ third straight and puts them atop the standings with a 4-1 ledger.
What Happened?
NLEX got off to a strong, if not uncharacteristic, start, putting up 27 points in the first quarter to Blackwater’s 21. The Road Warriors added 20 more in the second quarter to take a 47-37 halftime lead. But Blackwater, led by Sedrick Barefield, cut that deficit to five going into the fourth with a strong 29-24 third quarter. However, a quick 8-0 blitz to start off the payoff period restored order for the Road Warriors, who protected their lead until the final buzzer.
Who Stood Out?
NLEX leaned on the three-headed monster of JB Bahio, Robert Bolick, and Xyrus Torres all game long. Bahio was his usual efficient, workmanlike self, finishing with a game-high 23 points on 11-for-15 shooting. Torres, meanwhile, fired 18 markers, while Bolick put up 15 points, 5 boards, and 11 dimes in another all-around effort.
Sedrick Barefield was a bright spot for Blackwater, coming off the bench to score a team-high 19 points to go along with 7 rebounds and 4 assists. The prolific sophomore, however, got little help from his fellow Bossing.
3 Keys to the Game
- Defense. One of the things NLEX coach Jong Uichico constantly preaches to his Road Warriors is defense, and they were on point against Blackwater, limiting the Bossing to just 41.7% shooting overall and 31.3% from the arc. They also largely contained Christian David, limiting him to just 9 points on 4-for-12 shooting, leaving Barefield to carry the load.
- Execution. Uichico also wants his Road Warriors to execute their plays patiently and precisely, and they did just that most of the time against Blackwater. Their 26 assists to the Bossing’s 17 are clear proof that NLEX out-executed Blackwater, just as Uichico wants his wards to do.
- Points in the paint. The three-ball wasn’t falling for NLEX, but it didn’t matter too much because the Road Warriors consistently got to the paint, where they outscored Blackwater, 50-36. That advantage more than made up for NLEX’s 4-for-19 shooting from deep.
Next Up for the PBA
PBA action will continue to be at Ynares Center in Antipolo for the league’s Friday double-header. The first game will see the Terrafirma Dyip going up against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. The second game will have the Phoenix Fuel Masters taking on the Magnolia Hotshots.
Rain or Shine vs. Terrafirma (5:15 p.m.)
Magnolia vs. Phoenix (7:30 p.m.)
