By REYNALD MAGALLON
Robert Bolick flirted with a triple-double to power NLEX past Blackwater, 104-87, to barge into the win column of the Group B standings in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Thursday, Aug. 22.
The do-it-all guard came a rebound shy of reaching a triple-double but nevertheless left his imprint all over the game as the Road Warriors established a huge margin before staving off a fourth quarter rally from the Bossing.
Bolick unloaded 24 points, nine rebounds and 11 assists – none bigger than his kickout pass that found a wide open Richie Rodger for a left corner triple that doused the Blackwater comeback
The Bossing, after trailing by as many as 27 points, came alive in the final frame and cut the lead down to just 11, 94-83, before the big hit from Rodger with 1:35 left in the game.
Troy Rosario tried to keep Blackwater in the game with a pair of free throws but NLEX found Robert Herndon on the opposite corner for another triple that proved to be the nail in the coffin for the Road Warriors.
Myke Henry impressed for NLEX with 31 points and 10 rebounds while Herndon and Rodger added 12 and 11 to give new head coach Jong Uichico a winning welcome in his return to the PBA sidelines as head coach.
Christian David paced Blackwater with a double-double of 17 points and 10 rebounds while Rosario chipped 17. Sedrick Barefield, who anchored a 13-0 run to cut the biggest lead down to just 14 and give the Bossing a fighting chance early in the final frame, wound up with 16.
Their efforts, however, went down the drain especially with import Ricky Ledo yet to find his mark for the second straight game, finishing with just six points on a lowly 2-of-15 clip from the field.
