NLEX support crew delivers to defeat SMB in OT

NLEX dug deep and drew extra mileage from its support crew to beat San Miguel in overtime, 122-108, at the Aquilino Pimentel International Convention Center in Cagayan De Oro City on Saturday night, August 31.
The Road Warriors claimed their third win in four outings after relying on clutch plays from their shock troopers together with their import Myke Henry and top star Robert Bolick.
Henry still delivered his usual numbers by producing 33 points, six rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks while Bolick added 20 markers including two crucial free throws that led to a four-point cushion to the last 13.8 seconds of the extra period.
But the shock troopers provided the big difference in NLEX bounce back win after succumbing to Rain or Shine, 105-124, in their last outing. The Road Warriors now improved to 3-1 in the standings.
Mike Miranda, more known as an enforcer, contributed 17 points and showcased his long-range shooting skills especially in the fourth quarter when hit a pair of three-pointers, including a four-ball that gave the Road Warriors a 96-93 cushion, with 2:16 left in the fourth.
Jonnel Policarpo added 12 points, while Jhan Nermal produced 10 and started the OT with a clutch three-point play off a foul from Marcio Lassiter.
Richie Rodger only had six points but he made his last two field goals in overtime where he had a couple of getaway layups, while Robbie Herdon chipped in 10 including a triple that led to a 110-106 advantage with 28.2 seconds remaining in the game.
SMB pulled back to within two on June Mar Fajardo's undergoal stab but Bolick brought back up to four from the stripe.
The Beermen tried to send it to a second OT but back-to-back misses from the four-point arc by CJ Perez and Chris Ross in the final 13.8 ticks enabled NLEX to complete what it failed to do back in regulation.
The Beermen, who got 36 from Jordan Adams, 29 from Perez and 19 from Fajardo, fell to back-to-back losses after a 2-0 start.
The Scores (OT):
NLEX 112 - Henry 33, Bolick 20, Miranda 17, Policarpio 12, Nermal 10, Herndon 10, Rodger 6, Fajardo 2, Amer 2, Pascual 0, Marcelo 0, Valdez 0.
SAN MIGUEL 108 - Adams 36, Perez 29, Fajardo 19, Romeo 6, Trollano 5, Ross 4, Lassiter 3, Rosales 3, Manuel 2, Tautuaa 1, Cruz 0, Teng 0, Nava 0.
QUARTERS: , 20-23, 52-47, 69-74, 98-98, 112-108.
Similar news
San Miguel Beermen made a statement in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals, against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 107-82, on Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena to even the best-of-seven series at 2-2.
CJ Perez spearheaded the charge with a near-complete performance, tallying 19 points, five rebounds, seven assists, a steal, and a block in almost 35 minutes of action. His energy sparked a game-changing 17-0 run in the fourth quarter that broke the game wide open for the Beermen.
Juami Tiongson added 14 points, while June Mar Fajardo turned in another monster game with 12 markers, a game-high 19 boards, three dimes, two deflections, and a rejection.
San Miguel’s well-balanced offense saw five players score in double figures, including Jericho Cruz and Rodney Brondial with 12 apiece, and Don Trollano who chipped in 11.
Game 5 is set for Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, with both powerhouse squads looking to seize control of the series and inch closer to a Finals berth.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel bounced back in style, securing a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals series with a 100-90 win over the San Miguel Beermen on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
RJ Abarrientos came up huge with a near triple-double performance—24 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists—leading the Gin Kings back on top after dropping Game 2.
Jamie Malonzo added 20 points with four rebounds and two assists, while Japeth Aguilar chipped in 18 markers alongside seven boards, two dimes, three steals, and two blocks in a vintage two-way showing.
Ginebra also got key contributions from Scottie Thompson and Stephen Holt. Thompson tallied 16 points, seven rebounds, five assists, two steals, and a block, while Holt recorded 10 points, seven boards, and a deflection.
For San Miguel, Don Trollano kept them in the fight with 22 points and three rebounds. JuneMar Fajardo posted a double-double with 12 points and a game-high 14 rebounds, along with three dimes and a block.
CJ Perez and Jericho Cruz added 11 points apiece, while Juami Tiongson rounded out the Beermen’s double-digit scorers with 10.
Ginebra edged SMB 23-20 in the opening quarter, but the Beermen fought back strong in the second to take a 50-46 halftime lead. That momentum didn't last, as Ginebra responded with a commanding 25-14 third period to retake control at 71-64, then sealed the win with a 29-26 finish in the final frame.
“I’m just real proud of the guys for steadying themselves,” said head coach Tim Cone. “We figured a couple of things out. I felt we played with a really good tempo, and then RJ played tremendous down the stretch to keep them at bay.”
Game 4 is set for Wednesday, July 2, at 5:00 PM at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters broke through in their best-of-seven semi-finals series in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup, taking Game 3 in dominant fashion with a 107-86 win over TNT Tropang 5G on Sunday, June 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Anton Asistio powered the Elasto Painters with a personal playoff-high 24 points off the bench. He also tallied six assists and a rebound in just under 29 minutes of action, going 7-of-9 from the field, 4-of-5 from three-point range, and 2-of-3 from the four-point arc.
Caelan Tiongson added 16 markers, four rebounds, one assist, and a block, while Keith Datu delivered a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double performance to go with two assists and a rejection.
Leonard Santillan contributed 12 points and eight rebounds, while Andrei Caracut chipped in 10 points, four assists, and four steals, helping Rain or Shine build early momentum and keep control through most of the game.
TNT, on the other hand, struggled without RR Pogoy, Jayson Castro, and Rey Nambatac. Calvin Oftana led the Tropa with 16 points and eight rebounds but registered a -22 plus-minus while shooting just 1-of-6 from deep. Simon Enciso and Glenn Khobuntin added 12 points each.