PBA: NLEX surges to third straight win by escaping Macau 

Robert Bolick caught fire from downtown late to help the surging NLEX eke out a 106-97 win over Macau in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner's Cup on Tuesday at the Ynares Center Antipolo. 

Bolick fired three three-pointers in the fourth period to create some separation, but the Road Warriors had to fend off a late uprising from the guest team en route to the nine-point escape and their third straight victory. 

He finished with 17 points, 11 assists, and seven rebounds while import Cady Lalanne shone with a double-double of 28 markers and 18 boards as they raced to a 5-1 card. The Black Knights, meanwhile, slipped to a 0-7 card.

"It was a grind game eh, we were not playing that well offensively nor we were playing well defensively. It was a grind game today and it's good that we came up with the win, now we learned how to win in grind-type games," NLEX head coach Jong Uichico said. 

"'Yung laro lang nang laro even when things are not going the way we planned it to be."

The Road Warriors, coming off back-to-back wins over Barangay Ginebra and Phoenix, opened the fourth period trailing by four against the hungry Black Knights, 78-74. 

NLEX stepped on the gas pedal early in the frame with JB Bahio scoring seven points as part of a 13-1 run that flipped the switch for the Road Warriors, 87-79. 

Bolick then took over after burying back-to-back triples, including a corner bucket off a Kevin Alas dime that made it a 97-89 advantage for NLEX. The former NCAA champion then lost his defender and knocked down a stepback triple to send NLEX to a 100-91 lead in the final 2:48. 

However, Macau staged a desperate comeback attempt after Jenning Leung hit a huge four-point shot to cap a quick 6-0 run, 100-97, with 1:41 to go. 

Macau's rampage was spoiled when Schonny WInston completed a four-point play after drawing a crucial foul from Meng Sun in the right corner, sending NLEX to a 104-97 lead before Lalanne punctuated with a two-handed slam. 

Tony Mitchell starred for Macau in the loss, dropping 32 points, 11 rebounds, and two assists while Damian Chongqui chipped in 19 markers, seven assists, and four boards. 

Scores:

NLEX 106 – Lalanne 28, Winston 24, Bolick 17, Bahio 15, Gonzales 7, Alas 6, Fajardo 4, Torres 3, Rodger 0, Racal 0, Ramirez 0.

Macau 97 – Mitchell 32, Chongqui 19, Cao 16, Leung 12, Shackelford 10, Sun 3,J. Li 3, X.Li 2, Lao 0.

Quarters: 28-21, 52-52, 74-48, 106-97.

—JKC, GMA News