The NLEX Road Warriors displayed composure late in the game to beat the Columbian Dyip, 116-104, in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Wednesday, Aug. 29, 2018.
Columbian import Akeem Wright scored from inside with a layup. He then showed his range with a contested three-pointer which he banked off the board to cut the NLEX lead to just five points, 107-102, with 3:20 to go in the game.
NLEX veterans JR Quinahan and Larry Fonacier then decided the outcome the match with their outside shooting. Quinahan drilled two three-pointers while Fonacier added his own triple to push the Road Warriors to a decisive, 116-104, lead with just 55 seconds left to play.
The Road Warriors (3 wins, 1 loss) bounced back with the victory. The Dyip (0-3) suffered their third consecutive loss to drop to their familiar place at the bottom of the standings.
The Alaska Aces (2 wins, 0 loss) are tied with Phoenix (2-0) at the top of the standings. The two teams are playing as we went to press. Trailing them are the Magnolia Hotshots Pambansang Manok (1-0) and the Blackwater Elite (1-0).
The other teams include the Meralco Bolts (1-2), TNT KaTropa (1-3) and NorthPort Batang Pier (0-2). Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, the San Miguel Beermen and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters have not yet played.
The Road Warriors started to run in the fourth. Import Aaron Fuller converted a pair of fastbreak layups to add to another breakaway layup by Alex Mallari as NLEX extended its lead to nine points, 98-89, with 9:45 to go in the game.
The Road Warriors seemed on the way to a lopsided win after Mallari converted another jumper to go with free throws by Fuller to hike the NLEX lead to 102-89.
But the Dyip was not about to give up. Jeramy King drilled a triple to fuel an 8-0 run to cut the NLEX lead to just five points, 102-97, with 6:37 to go in the game.
NLEX held on to a slim, 64-62, advantage at halftime.
Columbian Dyip guard Rashawn McCarthy converted a field goal early in the third to cap 7-0 run as the Dyip grabbed the lead, 74-69, with 8:40 to go in the third quarter.
Forward Glen Cahilig was all alone inside the paint when he received a drop pass. He scored easily to cap a 6-0 Columbian run as the Dyip erected their biggest lead at that point of seven points, 85-78, with four minutes left to play in the third.
The Road Warriors countered right back to make their own run. Philip Paniamogan and Juami Tiongson each drilled a three-pointer which followed two free throws by Aaron Fuller as NLEX grabbed back the lead, 86-85, with 2:12 to go in the quarter.
Michael Miranda and Akeem Wright traded elbows during a dead ball situation and were each called for a technical. That didn’t seem to affect Miranda who drilled a three-pointer to cap another NLEX run as the Road Warriors extended their lead to four points, 91-87, after three quarters.