Robert Bolick fired 40 points just when his team, the NLEX Road Warriors, needed it the most.
With NLEX's playoff chances on the line, Robert Bolick knew that he and his teammates need to turn their desperation into something positive.
Playing like there is no tomorrow, Bolick exploded for a double-double of 40 points and 10 assists he spiked with six rebounds and two steals to power the Road Warriors' 122-120 victory over Rain or Shine Saturday, Jan. 25.
NLEX, now at joint eighth with San Miguel at 5-6, thus fanned its flickering hopes of making it to the quarterfinals in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup.
"Bago nag-start 'yung game, sabi ni coach, wala nang bukas. So naka-focus lang talaga kami this game," said Bolick.
"Alam naming 'yung team sa kabila, desperado rin sila. Mas desperado kami. 'Pag isang talo, wala na kami. At least, may chance ulit kami."
Rain or Shine was hoping to secure their seat in the playoffs. Instead, it slipped to 6-5 and stayed at seventh place.
The Elasto Painters showed their fight by repeatedly rallying in the third quarter behind Jhonard Clarito to cut their 22-point deficit, 51-73, down to single digits multiple times from there.
With its lead narrowed to 86-81 at the start of the payoff period, NLEX did all it could to stay alive in the race to the quarters.
Anthony Semerad and Kevin Alas combined for a 7-0 counterattack to slowly rebuild the separation at 93-81 heading to the last 10 minutes of the match.
Then Semerad and Xyrus Torres kept hitting their marks from three-point distance to secure the win for the Road Warriors.
Semerad drilled in a total of four triples for a 17-point output while Torres hit two for 12 points.
Mike Watkins churned out a double-double of 25 points and 14 rebounds.
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NLEX will next face qualified Eastern on Wednesday, Jan. 29, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao for its last elims assignment.
"May game kami next. Malakas din ang kalaban namin. So ganoon din ang sitwasyon namin kagaya ngayon: must win din kami. Para at least, nandoon kami sa eighth or seventh spot," said Bolick.