NLEX'S own blend of youth and experience again bore the desired fruits Friday.
With Kiefer Ravena complementing what the likes of JR Quinahan, Larry Fonacier and Cyrus Baguio started, the Road Warriors notched a 91-79 victory over Magnolia Ang Pambansang Manok to even up their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Ravena scattered 11 of his gamehigh 20 points in the fourth quarter, each basket enabling NLEX to keep its distance from Magnolia and point it well on its way to a win following back-to-back setbacks in the best-of-seven series.
With the duel now tied at two games apiece, what could be a pivotal Game 5 is set Sunday at the Ynares center in Antipolo.
"It was a big game for us, parang do-or-die na nga," said Road Warriors coach Yeng Guiao after the game which his charges controlled for the most part and even led by 16 points twice, the last at 78-62, 7:38 left.
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"It would have been a foregone conclusion had we lost. Mahirap makabalik lalo pa't kung Magnolia kalaban at down ka 1 and 3. We turned that urgency into game tonight. The boys stepped up."
Among those who did were Quinahan, who wound up with 14 points, Alas with 13 and Fonacier with 10. Baguio only had nine points, but became an additional factor with three rebounds, two assists and as many steals.
Magnolia simply didn't have the sharp form that enabled it to bounce back from an 87-88 loss in the series opener with a 15-point victory in Game 2 followed by a 106-99 victory last Wednesday.
Ian Sangalang had his usual double-double with 15 points and 14 rebounds and Paul Lee 11 points and Jio Jalalon 10, but their combined outputs were a far cry from the 63 markers they totaled in Game 3.
As a team, the Hotshots made just 28 of 76 field goal attempts to the Road Warriors' 36-of-68 clip.
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"Paminsan-minsan kami naman susuwertihin," said Guiao. "There's a bit of luck on our side. Our shots went in today, unlike in Game 3. Siguro pana-panahon lang din. Credit din to our defense. Maganda idinepensa namin today. I'm hoping we can keep it up for the rest of the series."
Guiao also did some adjustments, starting seldom-used Asi Taulava and Jansen Rios in a move that apparently caught Magnolia counterpart Chito Victolero by surprise.
The two Road Warriors saw action only in the opening minutes of the first quarter but that was enough to throw Victolero's matchup defense off-kilter.
But when the two teams went to their main men in the final frame NLEX had enough momentum to keep Magnolia at bay, proof of which is Ravena booming in a triple that made it a 91-77 game and fully quashed any last threat from the Hotshots going to the last 1:42.
A glimpse of the end result was had as early as the third period when Magnolia missed its six shots from the field and committed two turnovers to start the quarter, inadvertently fuelling a 14-0 run by the Road Warriors.
Quinahan was at the forefront of that attack with 11 of his points with Juami Tiongson, Ravena and Fonacier helping out as NLEX stretched its 41-39 halftime lead to a high of 55-39, 7:42 left in the period.
The Hotshots did start hitting their shots and, led by Sangalang and PJ Simon, whittled the deficit to seven. But Alas and Quinahan combined for 11 points, capped by the former's scoop shot, that pushed the difference back up to 69-59 entering the payoff period.
Alex Mallari's jumper and Fonacier's second triple of the night pushed the lead back up to 78-62, providing the cushion that served NLEX in good stead in the closing minutes. (NC)
