PBA: NLEX stays alive with OT win over Blackwater

The NLEX Road Warriors erased a 17-point lead in the third before dominating the Blackwater Elite in overtime for a 102-89 victory on Friday.

Kwame Alexander led NLEX with 26 points and 16 rebounds, while Michael Madanly added 18 points with five treys, including two in the pivotal fourth quarter run. Asi Taulava had 10 points and 12 boards, while Mark Cardona provided additional firepower off the bench with 16 points.

Blackwater looked like they were going to put the game away early, stretching the lead to 17 points with 6:33 left in the third after a pair of Marcus Cousin charities, 62-45. The Road Warriors were able to draw one last run to finish the period, though, igniting a 12-5 run to cut the lead to a more manageable 10 points, 67-57, heading into the final turn.

The Elite were able to maintain the lead late in the fourth, as a Cousin conversion made it a 10-point game anew at the 2:37 mark, 85-75. The Road Warriors' imports went to work soon after, as a pair of Madanly treys sandwiched an Alexander make to slice the lead to just two, 85-83, still with 1:54 left. Taulava then converted to tie the game with 75 seconds remaining, before Mark Cardona shoved NLEX ahead, 87-85, with 47 ticks to go.

A late steal by Brian Heruela with seven seconds left led to a Blackwater opportunity at the other end, but Raphy Reyes failed to nail the game-tying shot. Marcus Cousin was there to clean up the boards, though, as Madanly fouled him on the putback. The Blackwater import canned two pressure-packed freethrows to send the game to extra time.

It was all NLEX in overtime, as the Road Warriors overwhelmed the Elite, 15-2.

Marcus Cousin top scored for Blackwater with 29 points and 14 rebounds, as no other Elite starter scored in double figures. Jerick Canada, however, was stellar off the bench with 11 points, nine assits and five rebounds. - GMA News


The scores:

NLEX 102 - Alexander 26, Madanly 18, Cardona 16, Taulava 10, Villanueva J. 9, Wilson 8, Borboran 5, Lingganay 4, Arboleda W. 3, Ramos 2, Canaleta 1, Raymundo 0, Villanueva E. 0.

BLACKWATER 89 - Cousin 29, Canada 11, Reyes 9, Heruela 9, Erram 8, Faundo 6, Laure 5, Ballesteros 4, Cervantes 3, Salvacion 3, Gamalinda 2, Acuna 0.

Quarters: 25-25, 38-44, 57-67, 87-87, 102-89