Erasing a bad rep
ANTIPOLO—Robert Bolick acknowledged the easier path NLEX may take in order at least get to the Finals of the PBA Governors’ Cup.
It is something that Bolick and the Road Warriors are determined to take advantage of, especially after drawing first blood in their best-of-five quarterfinal series with the Phoenix Fuel Masters on Sunday with a 97-92 victory at Ynares Center here.
Big first step
But Bolick also recognized that winning Game 1 is just the first step in NLEX’s bid to shed a label given to teams known for starting strong, only to fall short in the end.
“We’re being called the ‘introvoys’ because we’ve been in this situation many times before,” Bolick said in Filipino after shooting 20 points.
The “introvoys” is a banter given teams for starting out strong, hence the root word intro, but chokes when the going gets tough.
The Road Warriors moved two wins shy of finally reaching the semifinals, and ending a string of past playoff disappointments, including two missed opportunities in recent years despite a twice-to-beat advantage.
Game 2 is set Wednesday at the same venue with NLEX favored to make it two in a row over a Phoenix side that tried to erase a 15-point deficit, only to come up short in the end.
Proving people wrong
“It’s a challenge for us to prove people wrong that we are not the ‘introvoys,’” Bolick said. “And if we show that we can win, then we will earn everyone’s respect. So if we want to earn the respect of the fans, the PBA, and NLEX, we have to show that we deserve to be the No. 1 team [in Group A].”
Bolick and the Road Warriors do know that they still have plenty of things to tidy up on, especially after a physical opening act to the playoffs.
While Bolick also had four rebounds, four assists and two steals, he also picked up his fifth foul in the fourth, but was able to finish the game.
Import Deonte Burton also pointed out his mistakes, even if he bailed the Road Warriors out with two crucial blocks during the waning moments, one by preventing Kai Ballungay from cutting to lead the one, and the other by swatting Gian Mamuyac’s game-tying three like it was a volleyball spike.
Burton finished with 27 points, 11 rebounds, three steals and three blocks, but was taking note of one statistic.
“Five turnovers,” Burton said, while pointing at the stat sheet during the postgame press conference. “I got to do better with the turnovers.”
Phoenix fell short despite 24 points, nine rebounds and five assists from Ricci Rivero, who later fouled out, and Ballungay who finished with 20 points and eight rebounds.
Import Marcellus Earlington had 14 points and 13 rebounds with six turnovers, and coach Charles Tiu is pressing for his reinforcement to be a better version of himself moving forward.
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