PBA: Barako Bull halts NLEX surge in tight victory

RR Garcia of Barako (dark) vs Jonas Villanueva of NLEX (light). PBA IMAGE

Barako Bull stopped NLEX on its tracks, 101-96, to open its PBA Governor’s Cup campaign on a good note Wednesday evening at Mall of Asia Arena.

It was in the final minutes that the Energy laid out the spikes that halted the Road Warriors’ rabid run.

Barako had a 22-point lead, 47-25 lead in the third but saw it crumble and turn to an 80-75 deficit in the third with the Road Warriors revving up for a furious parade.

For Energy head coach Koy Banal, everything just came down to positive attitude.

“Positive attitude creates positive results,” Banal said borrowing a line from author John Maxwell.

And positive results he got.

JC Intal and the returning Dylan Ababou showered on the Road Warriors’ parade with three three-pointers to give Barako Bull a 93-89 lead with 3:48 remaining.

Ironically, it was a Road Warrior that stumbled that led to the NLEX jam.

Niño Canaleta tapped the ball into their own basket that gave the Energy a 99-92 lead with 1:17 left in the fourth.

“Everybody stayed in the game, and everybody stayed positive,” Banal said. “The positive attitude of the players, that’s what got us the W.”

It wasn’t Canaleta that gave Barako Bull some unexpected help.

NLEX’s Asian import Michael Madanly fell down with 1:13 left in the third quarter after injuring his nape in a collision with Ababou.

It was Madanly that sparked the Road Warriors’ run in the third as they outscored the Energy 28-14 in the penultimate period.

Liam McMorrow led Barako Bull with 33 points and 22 boards while Intal had 24 points and 11 rebounds.

Ababou added 16 points for the Energy.

Madanly left the game with 26 points while fellow import Kwame Alexander had 16 points and 10 rebounds.

The scores:

Barako Bull 101 — McMorrow 33, Intal 24, Ababou 16, Lastimosa 6, Garcia 5, Lanete 5, Maierhofer 5, Yeo 3, Hubalde 3, Wilson 1, Pascual 0, Chua 0.

NLEX 96 — Madanly 26, Alexander 16, Cardona 11, J> Villanueva 10, Canaleta 9, E. Villanueva 6, Lingganay 5, Taulava 5, Borboran 3, Ramos 3, Raymundo 2, H. Arboleda 0.

Quarters: 29-19; 56-42; 70-70; 101-96.