Road Warriors Pull Away in Final Quarter to Defeat Black Knights

NLEX overcame a mid-game slump and surged in the fourth quarter to defeat Macau, 106-97, extending their winning streak to three games in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday at the Ynares Center.

The Road Warriors started strong, quickly gaining momentum, but watched as the Black Knights battled back in the second and third quarters, staying close as the game entered the final period.

NLEX regained control with a dominant fourth-quarter run, fueled by JB Bahio, which ultimately sealed the win. Coach Jong Uichico’s squad unleashed a 16-3 rally, capped off by a Robert Bolick three-pointer, taking a 90-81 lead with 7:21 remaining and never letting go of it.

“It was a grind-out game today. It's good that we came out with the win. Now we’ve learned how to win these types of games, just playing through even when things don’t go as planned,” said Uichico.

Cady Lalanne starred for NLEX, earning Player of the Game honors with 28 points, 18 rebounds, and three blocks. Deschon Winston added 24 points, hitting a crucial four-point play in the final 35 seconds to extend the lead to 104-97 and seal the victory.

Robert Bolick played a key role in the win with 17 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds, while Bahio contributed 15 points and seven boards. LJ Gonzales, Kevin Alas, and Dominick Fajardo also provided valuable support in the balanced offensive effort.

The win pushed NLEX to a 5-1 record, tying them with Meralco for second place in the standings. The two teams are set to face off in a highly anticipated matchup on Friday in Montalban.

For Macau, the loss dropped them to 0-7, leaving their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. They now face an uphill battle, needing to win all their remaining games to have a chance at the postseason.

Tony Mitchell led the Black Knights with 32 points and 11 rebounds, his best performance of the conference. Damian Chongqui added 19 points and seven assists, while Ramon Cao chipped in 16 points and eight rebounds.

Jenning Leung contributed 12 points and seven assists, and Phoenix Shackelford scored 10 points in the loss. Macau now looks ahead to their next crucial game against Titan Ultra on April 21 at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.