Jonas Villanueva. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
NLEX recorded its best start at 2-0 after beating Barako Bull, 93-85, in the 2016 Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Asi Taulava and Sean Anthony each had a double-double for the Road Warriors, who turned to their defense late to deny the Energy of a winning debut.
“We’re happy that we got this win — our two straight wins — at the start of the conference we haven’t done this in the last three conferences that we have last season again credit to my players,” NLEX head coach Boyet Fernandez.
Taulava made history in the first half by climbing up in fifth place in the all-time rebounding list — overtaking one of the league’s legend in Philip Cezar.
The 42-year-old came into the game needing only seven rebounds to surpass Cezar and he finished with 11 that went with 14 points and four assists. Offseason acquisition Sean Anthony scored 11 points and grabbed a career-high 19 rebounds.
RR Garcia and Willy Wilson had 16 points apiece with Wilson also corralling 17 rebounds for the Energy, who only trailed by three, 81-78, after a JC Intal drive with 3:20 remaining before the Road Warriors tightened their defensive screws.
NLEX held Barako Bull scoreless in the next two minutes before Intal made a meaningless 3-pointer with 1:02 left.
“We really started flat. We never executed our game plan and it seems that we wanted to finish the game right away,” Fernandez said.
“Halftime I told them that we just have to make one stop at a time and bring back the defensive mentality that we’ve been practicing in the preseason.”
NLEX had a big third quarter led by its second unit. Eric Camson scored all of his eight points in the pivotal period where the Road Warriors outscored the Energy, 35-18.
Taulava now has a total of 5,839 rebounds behind greats Alvin Patrimonio, Jerry Codiñera, Abet Guidaben and Ramon Fernandez.