NLEX dumped the ball to import Mike Watkins inside the paint last night against a smaller defender in Terrafirma veteran Vic Manuel.
While Manuel is one of the pro league’s reliable bruisers, the 6-foot-9 Watkins was simply too big and too strong.
Leaning on a fiery start before fending off their foes’ fightback, the Road Warriors dismantled the Dyip 104-85 for their second straight win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
Watkins bullied his way to the basket and scored easily on Manuel which gave Terrafirma a 93-81 lead with 4:00 remaining, leaving Manuel with nothing to do but raise both his hands.
Although pleased after his charges stymied the Dyip’s fourth-quarter run, NLEX falling into the traps of complacency left a lot to be desired for Road Warriors coach Jong Uichico.
“Why do they have to weather the storm? They were already up by 25 points and were in control of the game. Why do they have to put themselves in that situation?” Uichico posed. “We gave up 55 points in the second half. So, they put themselves in that situation.
“It’s good that they weathered the storm. But there should be no storm to be weathered,” he added.
Robert Bolick sizzled with a game-high 32 points on two four-pointers, to go with four rebounds and five assists for NLEX while Watkins backed him up with 26 markers and 30 boards.
Rookie Xyrus Torres and Tony Semerad also had 15 and 13 points, respectively, for the Road Warriors who scored a big follow-up to a 107-95 victory over the Blackwater Bossing last Saturday and improved to 2-1.
Terrafirma failed to atone for a 101-113 loss to NorthPort also last Saturday and remained winless in three starts in the mid-season tourney.
Propped up by Bolick, Watkins, and Torres, NLEX zoomed to a 51-30 lead at the half that stretched to as much as 67-42 on a Semerad three-pointer at the 6:57 mark of the third canto.
The Road Warriors still held a 75-62 edge going into the fourth quarter.
A Kevin Ferrer triple shoved the Dyip to within 81-88 with 4:49 left but Semerad retaliated with a trey that made it 91-81 before Watkins’ bucket.
Manuel carried the fight for Terrafirma with 22 points and five caroms while Aljun Melecio added 10 markers.
Ferrer also contributed 10 and six for the Dyip whose reinforcement Ryan Richards only saw action for over 17 minutes and is set to be replaced.
NLEX pulled off this triumph but like Uichico said, the Road Warriors cannot afford hiccups in their next two matches against no less than defending champion San Miguel Beer (Dec. 😎 and Ginebra (Dec. 11).
