Road Warriors put foot in playoff with rout of Fuel Masters

Coach Jong Uichico does not conform to the notion that NLEX already has control of its destiny in the PBA Governors’ Cup.

That is even after Friday’s key win over Phoenix can turn out to be the deciding factor in the Road Warriors’ ongoing race with Blackwater for the remaining quarterfinals berth in Group B.

“It does put pressure on Blackwater, but we all know that Blackwater is capable of winning its remaining games and we can’t discount that,” Uichico said after the Road Warriors’ comfortable 104-79 triumph over the lowly Phoenix Fuel Masters at Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Friday.

The victory gave NLEX a 4-5 record, half-game ahead of Blackwater, which is at 3-5 and facing two survival games, the first against San Miguel Beer on Saturday at the same venue.

A loss by the Bossing in one of their last two games, the other against group leader Rain or Shine ElastoPainters, will have the Road Warriors punching their ticket to a best-of-five series matchup with Group A winner TNT Tropang Giga.

This, because NLEX holds the tiebreaker edge over Blackwater due to a superior point differential based on the two meetings which they split.

While they wait for the Bossing’s fate, the Road Warriors want to put their focus on their final group phase match on Sunday against Barangay Ginebra at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ginebra handed NLEX a 28-point beating in their first-round encounter.

“We did our job today [against Phoenix], and we’ll also try to do our job on Sunday,” said Uichico.

End to bad stretch

NLEX snapped a four-game skid, a bad stretch that put to waste a splendid start to the conference where the Road Warriors won three of their first four games.

DeQuan Jones delivered 27 points, including two four-point shots, in his second game since replacing Myke Henry. He got help from Robert Bolick and Baser Amer in routing the Fuel Masters.

Bolick had 19 points, five rebounds, nine assists and two steals, while Amer came off the bench to score 14 and earn Best Player of the Game honors.

Javee Mocon faced his former team for the first time since being dealt to NLEX in exchange for Ato Ular and a future second-round pick, posting two points and seven boards.

It was Mocon’s second game in a Road Warriors shirt, and Uichico is hoping to see the forward play an important role in the long run.

Phoenix ended the conference at 1-9, its worst campaign since joining the league in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.