UNABLE to seal the deal in regulation, NLEX fought on in overtime and gutted out a 103-99 victory to secure an outright quarterfinals entry in the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
Blowing away a seven-point spread in the last 2:14 mark of the fourth period, the Road Warriors regrouped and fired away big treys to repel the Gin Kings' stand.
Anthony Semerad and DeQuan Jones combined for three treys while Richie Rodger came through with a three-point play in NLEX's 11-7 tear in extra time that handed them the fourth quarterfinals berth from Group B with a closing 5-5 record.
Jones finished with a 44-point, 10-rebound monster game for the Road Warriors who as the Group B fourth seed will face Group A top seed TNT Tropang Giga in the crossover best-of-five quarterfinals.
The Gin Kings, who played without a cramping Justin Brownlee in OT, wound up at No. 3 (6-4) behind top-ranked Rain or Shine (7-2) and No. 2 San Miguel Beer (6-4).
Sponsored content: NLEX's win over Ginebra has rendered as non-bearing the Rain or Shine-Blackwater setto at 7:30 p.m. Monday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Bossing can actually catch up with the Road Warriors at 5-5, but they will still yield fourth spot on an inferior point differential.
Coach Jeff Cariaso and his troops are now out of it all, joining Phoenix (1-9) in an early exit.
In the other group, TNT, Meralco, Magnolia and Converge made the quarters, with NorthPort and Terrafirma as the early casualties.(SB)
The Scores (OT):
Sponsored content: NLEX 103 - DeQuan 44, Bolick 16, Semerad 12, Valdez 8, Policarpio 6, Torres 6, Amer 4, Mocon 3, Rodger 2, Miranda 2.
GINEBRA 99 - Brownlee 26, J.Aguilar 22, Ahanmisi 15, Abarrientos 14, Thompson 12, Holt 7, Pinto 3, Cu 0, Adamos 0, Tenorio 0, R. Aguilar 0.
QUARTERS : 26-21, 39-43, 71-68, 92-92, 103-99
