Bolts shuffle Aces; no relief for NLEX
It was all about streaks in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup last week with Meralco stopping Alaska’s four-game winning run and NLEX falling to its fifth straight loss after blowing a huge 29-point lead in the third quarter against TNT KaTropa.
Their own streak also disrupted by the San Miguel Beermen in their last outing, the Bolts vented their ire on the Aces, who continued to miss four mainstays and trailed by 24 points before taking a 99-91 loss that dropped them from a tie for first to third at 4-1 behind Meralco’s 5-1 slate.
In a battle of winless squads earlier, Blackwater, minus injured stars Art de la Cruz and Mac Belo, turned back GlobalPort and new import Malcolm White, 118-113.
Elite import Greg Smith fired 40 points and grabbed 19 rebounds while Michael Digregorio added 18 as Blackwater bucked a 35-point explosion by Batang Pier’s Terrence Romeo and broke into the win column in five games.
White, who took over from Sean Williams, nearly matched Romeo’s explosion with 33 that went with 17 boards.
GlobalPort absorbed a fourth straight setback but its misfortunes paled in comparison to the monumental woes of NLEX, which can’t seem to find a way to get going under new coach Yeng Guiao, whose sixth and last title in the league came in this same tournament last year with Rain or Shine.
After dropping close games to Rain or Shine, Meralco and Mahindra, the Road Warriors seemed set to pull off the biggest upset of the year by coming back from 21 points down to take a 103-101 lead over the Star Hotshots with barely a minute left last March 31.
Star tied the game at 103 with 30 seconds left but NLEX blew its final offensive move and Star escaped 105-103 on a buzzer-beating jumper by Jio Jalalon.
“I’ve been expecting that they’d be a little bit tougher, more mature, but I was disappointed,” said Guiao.
