For all of his singular brilliance on the basketball court, Robert Bolick has never played in a semis series in the PBA. He’s never played even in just one semifinal game, in fact. He came close in Season 49’s Philippine Cup, leading the NLEX Road Warriors to the second seed and a win-once advantage in the quarterfinals against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
But Yeng Guiao and his wards proved steadier than the Road Warriors, authoring back-to-back close wins to pull off the stunner and extend Bolick’s semis-less stint.
“’Yung last conference, ‘yun ‘yung best chance namin pumasok ng semis. Pero nakalaban namin yung team na dalawang straight nasa semis,” Bolick told the PBA during NLEX’s media day.
No Playoff Success for Robert Bolick Just Yet
Bolick, the league’s scoring champion last season, also acknowledged that he and the rest of the Road Warriors were a bit taken aback by the kind of game played in the playoffs.
“Kami baguhan pa. Na-expose kami sa playoff magnitude na ganun,” said the former Gilas Pilipinas call-up of NLEX’s quarterfinals tussle with Rain or Shine. “Nagulat lang kami iba ang laruan.”
That’s understandable. Bolick himself has never gotten past the quarterfinals, making it that far seven times in 13 conferences spanning six seasons only to come up short every single time. Curiously, the one instance a team with Bolick in it made it to the semis—the NorthPort Batang Pier in the 2019 Governors’ Cup—came when the Leyte-born gunner was relegated to the injured reserve list after he suffered a torn ACL. So, until now, the talented guard from San Beda has never played in the semifinals at all.
Now, after an impressive Philippine Cup campaign, Bolick is hoping he can change the narrative.
Top Four on His Mind
Ahead of the PBA Philippine Cup that will open Season 50, Bolick has one goal in mind: make it to the semis this time around.
“Kumbaga ang expectation ko andun pa rin kami kahit sa Top Four man lang,” said the one-time Japan B.League import, who is banking on continuity and chemistry to propel the Road Warriors towards accomplishing that goal no matter how challenging it may be.
“It’s a big challenge for us. Advantage namin siguro togetherness namin, yung chemistry namin,” he shared.
That chemistry ought to be solid as NLEX higher-ups managed to keep the same team that went 8-3 in the season-ending Philippine Cup and came a win away from barging into the semis. Ultimately, though, the Road Warriors will be counting on their leader, Robert Bolick, to carry them to heights they’ve never before climbed.
