NLEX Road Warriors’ DeQuan Jones against Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings’ Stephen Holt during a PBA Governors’ Cup game. -PBA IMAGES
NLEX took everything Barangay Ginebra could give on Sunday night, pulling out a 103-99 overtime victory to officially secure a quarterfinal berth in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
Import DeQuan Jones fired 44 points and plucked 10 rebounds to star for the Road Warriors, whose 5-5 win-loss to end the eliminations completed the Group B cast advancing to the crossover quarterfinals.
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“We just wanted to keep the game in striking distance. We had control of the regulation period, but they made big plays and then missed some shots. That’s just how the game is,” head coach Jong Uichico said shortly after the thriller at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Robert Bolick Jr. added 16 points, seven rebounds and 11 assists, while Tony Semerad chipped in 12 points and six rebounds as NLEX denied the crowd darlings a chance at taking the No. 1 spot and Blackwater a chance at competing for the last playoff ticket.
With the win, NLEX arranged a race-to-three contest with corporate sibling and defending conference champion TNT.
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Justin Brownlee had 26 points and 12 rebounds, his late-game heroics going down the drain after he was pulled out of the game in the extra period after hurting his left knee. He was struggling with pain along the Gin Kings’ sidelines as he was being treated by the club’s utility staff and as the game slipped away.
Justin Brownlee is being helped by his teammates after suffering from cramps in Barangay Ginebra's 103-99 overtime loss to NLEX @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/aDoMSyTqcg
— Jonas Terrado (@jonasterradoINQ) September 22, 2024
Japeth Aguilar had 22 points and nine rebounds, while Maverick Ahanmisi rookie RJ Abarrientos, and Scottie Thompson all finished with at least 12 points each.
Barangay Ginebra thus dropped to 6-4 and will meet longtime rival Meralco in the best-of-five quarterfinals that gets going next week.