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Robert Bolick showed the way in just his second game back in the PBA, leading NLEX to a nail-biting 104-97 victory to snap a four-game slide in the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday, Dec. 22.
The comebacking Bolick orchestrated the attack for the Road Warriors with 30 points and 15 assists and also completed crucial stops in the waning seconds to seal the deal and improve to a 3-6 record.
With Blackwater staying too close for comfort, 100-97, with 12 ticks left, Bolick completed a huge steal on Archie Concepcion before coolly sinking two free throws on the other end.
He repeated the same heroics for NLEX in the next Blackwater possession, intercepting the inbound pass and going for the layup as the buzzer sounded.
The last two defensive stops accounted for two of Bolick’s four steals that also went with seven rebounds. A favorite recipient to Bolick’s assist passes was import Stokley Chaffee Jr. who finished with 20 points and 13 rebounds to celebrate his birthday with his first win in the PBA.
The win not only resuscitated NLEX’s bid for the playoffs, sitting just a game behind idle Rain or Shine which occupies the eighth spot in the standings, but also ended the road for contention for Blackwater which absorbed their eighth straight defeat for a lowly 1-8 slate.
With its back against the wall, Blackwater tried to pump some life to its playoff hopes, staying within striking distance for the most part of the contest. Import Chris Ortiz even dropped 21 of his 27 points in the first half.
Rookie Christian David also had his share with 17 points while RK Ilagan added 16 but the last two turnovers of the Bossing was just too much to bear and proved to be the killing blows to their conference.
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Credit belongs to : www.mb.com.ph
