NLEX Road Warriors’ Robert Bolick.–PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Meralco’s Game 1 win over NLEX in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals certainly didn’t come easy.
The Bolts on Friday beat the Road Warriors, 97-93, but needed to overcome a 48-point outburst by Robert Bolick to escape the Road Warriors at Araneta Coliseum.
“He played well. It wasn’t part of our game plan [to make him score a lot]. You have to give it to Robert. He’s so good at picking angles and taking shots. It really takes five guys playing defense on him,” said Meralco coach Luigi Trillo.
READ: PBA: Meralco overcomes Robert Bolick, NLEX in Game 1
“That’s Robert Bolick for you. In the first half alone, he already ran the floor.”
Bolick came out firing to open the best-of-three series with 20 points in the first quarter alone. He already had 28 points in the first half.
Trillo, though, knows the Bolts can’t allow Bolick to have his way again if they are to sweep the Road Warriors on Sunday.
READ: PBA: Robert Bolick scores 46, shoots NLEX past Converge
“As a coaching staff and as a team, we’re not pleased with the way we played him. For Game 2, we know it’s going to be harder with that team’s back against the wall. We’re capable of closing it out but we really have to respect Robert. We have a lot of things to fix. We’re not going to get to the semis if we play defense like that.”
Even Allein Maliksi, who led the way for Meralco with 22 points, couldn’t help but rave about Bolick’s performance.
“He’s really a talented guy. Can you imagine who else can score like that? I think in the eliminations he also had 46 [points]. When you’re facing Robert, you really have to be on your toes and be sharp on your defense,” said Maliksi in Filipino.