PBA: NLEX blows past San Miguel to maintain spotless record

NLEX quickly extinguished a San Miguel comeback attempt early in the fourth period to take a 110-96 win in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Road Warriors almost wasted a 25-point lead after Don Trollano sparked a Beermen rally, but NLEX had the answer to counter every San Miguel basket to take solo leadership in the Group A with a 4-0 card.

Schonny Winston shone with 24 points, four rebounds, and four assists while import DeQuan Jones dazzled with 27 markers and 10 boards as the Road Warriors gave the Beermen their first taste of loss as head coach Leo Austria returned after three games. However, Austria did not call the shots just yet as he continues to recover from an angioplasty.

"Again, really proud of our guys. I think anytime you play a team like San Miguel, with all their championship experience, it's always a great test for a young team," NLEX head coach Jimmy Alapag said.

"But I thought we're very resilient, especially in the second half. Trollano is one of the best shooters in the league and he got going but I think our poise in the second half was great for the young team we have."

NLEX flexed its outside shooting throughout the first three quarters, which saw the Beermen shoot just four of their 16 attempts from the three-point area, to establish a lead as big as 25, 85-60, late in the third period.

But Trollano, who only had two points at the half, got his offense going by firing a triple to end the third period and burying another three-pointer and a four-point shot to open the fourth to pull San Miguel to eight, 90-82.

Trollano even had an and-one basket to cut the gap to eight, 92-84.

The Road Warriors, however, did not press the panic button and instead made San Miguel pay again with their outside shots.

Robert Bolick knocked down a four-point bomb while Robert Herndon buried a triple to send NLEX to another huge lead at 99-84. Tony Semerad then hit a three-pointer of his own before Jones completed back-to-back baskets that saw the league-leading NLEX seize a 108-93 in the final 1:52.

George King led the way for San Miguel with 31 points, eight rebounds, and one assist while Trollano and June Mar Fajardo finished with 16 and 15 markers each.

Scores:

NLEX – Jones 27, Winston 24, Semerad 15, Bolick 14, Herndon 13, Valdez 8, Gonzales 7, Bahio 2, Capulong 0, Marcelo 0, Racal 0, Alas 0.

San Miguel – King 31, Trollano 16, Fajardo 15, Perez 7, Brondial 6, Hernandez 6, Lassiter 5, Tautuaa 5, Cruz 3, Ahanmisi 2, Ross 0, Cahilig 0.

Quarters: 30-21, 64-46, 90-71, 110-96.

—JKC, GMA News