SMART Clark Giga City - First the league leaders, now the No. 2 team in the PBA bubble standings.
The list of giant kills expands for surging NLEX as the Road Warriors followed up their upset of pacesetting TNT Tropang with an equally impressive reversal over second-running Rain or Shine, 94-74, to stay in the hunt for PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals Wednesday.
Jericho Cruz fired 12 of his 17 in the fateful fourth as the hot-shooting Road Warriors pulled away to the 20-point triumph in the morning encounter at the AUF Gym Powered by Smart 5G.
Coach Yeng Guiao and his charges picked up from where they left off last week when they handed the mighty Tropang Giga their first loss of the bubble after a 5-0 start, 109-98.
The rejuvenated Road Warriors hiked their win-loss record to 3-5 as they continue the chase for the playoffs. The Elasto Painters dropped to 4-2.
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"Ayaw pa naming umuwi, we needed this game kaya yung energy was really high, especially sa second half," said Cruz, who backstopped Kevin Alas (18) in the scoring parade.
NLEX rained 16 three-pointers on Rain or Shine all game while holding the E-Painters to 32 percent field goal shooting (24-of-75) and outworking them in rebounding, 52-46.
"One of the big developments for us is we're just getting in better shape," said Guiao, whose squad picked up its first back-to-back wins in the bubble.
"Nung umpisa, we're not in good shape and our defense was lousy. But the last few games, yung fitness namin translated sa extra energy sa defense," he added.
Such energy did them well against the Top 2 teams.
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"I don't think you can beat teams like TNT and Rain or Shine if you're not up to defense," said Guiao.
NLEX also changed its mental approach after its 1-5 start, adapting a "nothing-to-lose" mantra.
"I really want to take the pressure off the players. Sabi ko ang gusto lang natin gawin is parang nasa training camp tayo, magpakundisyon, learn every day. If we're doing it right, we'll win, if we're doing it wrong, we'll just go back to practice and correct them," said Guiao.
"So ayun, parang na-relax na sila," he added.
NLEX seized a 39-25 lead in the second but ROS fought back to inch to within two at halftime.
The E-Painters were still in the thick of things late in the third before Alas led a 9-2 run that restored a 13-point tear for NLEX at 64-53.
The Road Warriors kept on pressing from there, knocking down six treys in a 30-17 fourth-quarter exchange to take the opener of a quadruple double with lots to spare. (OL)
The Scores
NLEX 94 - Alas 18, Cruz 17, Quinahan 13, Soyud 9, Miranda 8, Ravena 7, Semerad 7, Paniamogan 5, Galanza 5, Varilla 3, McAloney 2, Ayonayon 0.
Rain or Shine 74 - Nambatac 15, Ponferada 10, Norwood 7, Rivero 7, Rosales 7, Torres 7, Belga 7, Mocon 5, Borboran 5, Wong 3, Onwubere 1, Tolentino 0, Yap 0, Doliguez 0, Arana 0.
Quarterscores: 24-18, 42-39, 64-57, 94-74.
