With stellar performances from rookie Xyrus Torres and veteran Robert Bolick, NLEX rebounded in style from their conference-opening loss, overpowering Rain or Shine, 109-95, in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Saturday.
Torres dazzled with an almost flawless 28-point outing, shooting an impressive 11-of-12 from the field. Bolick added to the fireworks with a well-rounded game, contributing 23 points, 12 assists, and seven rebounds. Their combined efforts led the Road Warriors to a resounding victory following their 89-98 defeat to the San Miguel Beermen just a week earlier.
Anthony Semerad chipped in with 18 points and seven rebounds, while Javee Mocon added a double-double of 12 points and 10 boards. The Road Warriors overcame the Elasto Painters’ strong early push to secure their first win in the season-ending tournament.
Rain or Shine, a Final Four contender in the first two conferences, appeared poised for a successful debut in this tourney, jumping to an early 11-point lead. However, the Road Warriors roared back to seize control, ending the first quarter with a 32-25 advantage and maintaining their grip on the game through all four periods.
NLEX held a 60-50 lead at halftime, stretched it to 86-73 by the end of the third quarter, and kept the Elasto Painters at bay in the final frame. Rain or Shine relied heavily on their three-point shooting but struggled with consistency, converting only 13 of 36 attempts and shooting 40.7 percent from the field overall.
In contrast, the Road Warriors were highly efficient, hitting an impressive 55.4 percent of their shots (31-of-56). Caelan Tiongson led the Elasto Painters with 24 points, including 3-of-6 shooting from beyond the arc. Supporting him were Leonard Santillan, Jhonard Clarito, and Gian Mamuyac, who contributed 13, 12, and 10 points, respectively, off the bench. Adrian Nocum also chipped in 11 points as a starter.
The Scores:
NLEX 109 – Torres 28, Bolick 23, Semerad 18, Mocon 12, Bahio 8, Nieto 5, Fajardo 5, Ramirez 3, Miranda 2, Policarpio 2, Alas 2, Valdez 1.
Rain or Shine 95 – Tiongson 24, Santillan 13, Clarito 12, Nocum 11, Mamuyac 10, Caracut 9, Norwood 6, Malonzo 5, Lemetti 3, Asistio 2, Datu 0.
Quarters: 32-25, 60-50, 86-73, 109-95
