By REYNALD MAGALLON
NLEX overcame the biggest roadblock to its playoff aspirations, coming away with a much-needed 76-72 victory over Barangay Ginebra to advance to the quarterfinals of the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Sunday, May 5.
The Road Warriors leaned on their defense in the waning seconds to survive a near collapse and pick up their sixth win that proved to be enough to formalize their entry to the playoffs.
Not only did NLEX join four other teams with similar 6-5 records in the quarterfinals but it also managed to finish at the sixth spot and avoid a twice-to-win disadvantage against the Top 2 seeds.
The win, however, didn’t come without a huge scare as NLEX, after taking a comfortable 10-point lead, 73-63, midway through the final frame, suddenly couldn’t buy any field goals the rest of the way.
The Kings, already assured of the Top 2 spot and twice-to-beat armor, opted to rest their main guns but still took advantage of the scoring drought to suddenly come within one, 73-72, with 32 seconds left.
Ginebra could have tied the contest right then and there but Maverick Ahanmisi botched the last of his three free throws. NLEX kept a two-point cushion after a Baser Amer split from the foul line before banking on its defense in the final possession when the Road Warriors forced the Kings to a turnover on the inbound pass with 3.3 seconds left.
Robert Bolick took the cudgels when nothing seemed to be going for NLEX early on, finishing with 25 points, eight assists and six rebounds. Outside Bolick, there was literally no one for the Road Warriors with Richie Rodger the only other double-digit scorer with 11.
Still, that was enough for NLEX to arrest a four-game losing skid before the playoffs.
Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams showed poise and lifted TNT to a 98-93 escape over Magnolia and to the quarterfinals.
Needing the crucial win to not only punch a quarterfinals ticket but also avoid falling into a possible playoff for the eighth spot, the Tropang Giga turned to their veterans who once again delivered when it mattered the most.
Castro may have lost a bit of speed that earned him the nickname ‘the Blur’, but the 37-year-old playmaker proved he has plenty of gas left in the tank after coming through with the big hits down the stretch – enough to fend off a late fightback from the Hotshots.
The veteran point guard finished with 18 points – six of which came in the final three minutes of the contest, none bigger than the clutch elbow jumper that gave TNT a 97-88 cushion with 41 seconds left.
Williams, on the other hand, after missing the TNT’s crucial loss to Converge, made his presence felt with 19 points and eight rebounds. The 42-year-old forward was a catalyst to the two huge middle quarters for TNT which built a lead that went to as many as 18.
At the end of the eliminations, the playoff picture is now almost complete with the eighth and final spot in the quarterfinals the only slot yet to be determined. Terrafirma and NorthPort, which both ended the eliminations with a 5-6 record, will be playing a sudden death game for the last quarters spot on Wednesday, May 8.
The winner will get rewarded with a quarters showdown against top-seed and twice-to-beat San Miguel. It is an early playoff Manila Clasico over at the other bracket as second-seed Ginebra and seventh seed Magnolia face off.
