NLEX Outlasts Titan Ultra in OT to Claim No. 1 Seed

NLEX cemented its dominance atop the standings, surviving a thrilling overtime battle against Titan Ultra, 123-112, to finish the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner's Cup eliminations on a high note Tuesday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Road Warriors dug deep after trailing by as much as 14 points, forcing extra time and taking control in the final five minutes. The win boosted NLEX to a 10-2 record, clinching the No. 1 seed and the coveted win-once advantage in the quarterfinals.

With the score tied at 107-all, Tony Semerad sparked the decisive run with a free throw, followed by strong contributions from Cady Lalanne, Robert Bolick, and Deschon Winston to pull away. The victory also extended NLEX’s winning streak to four games heading into the playoffs.

Despite the milestone—NLEX’s first top-seed finish since the 2019 Governors’ Cup—head coach Jong Uichico remained grounded.

“Eliminations pa lang ’to. The last two conferences, we were in the Top Four also. We're just No. 1 in the eliminations. It's something to be happy about but it's nothing to be satisfied about,” he said.

Lalanne led the charge with a dominant 29 points and 20 rebounds, adding two blocks, while Bolick recorded a triple-double with 25 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists, plus two blocks. Winston contributed 24 points, as the trio powered NLEX’s offense, overcoming a slow start.

Bolick, however, noted the team’s recurring sluggish openings despite the win.

“Sana maging eye-opener ’to. Halos lahat ng games namin, laging ganun eh. Baka pagdating sa dulo, hindi papabor sa amin. Dapat, may standard kami,” he admitted.

On Titan Ultra’s side, Michael Gilmore paced the team with 25 points, 18 rebounds, and five assists but missed a critical opportunity to seal the game in regulation after splitting late free throws. Joshua Munzon added 19 points, eight rebounds, and seven assists, but inefficiency, including a missed layup, kept Titan from overtaking NLEX.

The Giant Risers fell for the sixth straight game and will aim to rebound in their final elimination match against Rain or Shine on May 8, while NLEX awaits its quarterfinal opponent as the battle for the eighth seed heats up.