MIKE Watkins is determined to prolong his stay in the country and showed it.
Watkins exploded for 41 points and 14 rebounds in powering NLEX to a resounding 94-76 victory over Hong Kong Eastern Wednesday and clinched at least a playoff spot for the last PBA Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals spot at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Robert Bolick shrugged off a left ankle injury he suffered in the course of the game to finish with 21 points and eight assists as the Road Warriors wound up the eliminations with a third straight win that gave them an even 6-6 record.
The way his team display more intensity starting in the third quarter to finally break out of a tight first half pleased coach Jong Uichico.
"In the first half I didn't like the way they were playing, there was no energy," said Uichico. "But they were able to pick it up in the second half and that's a good sign, that they were able to recover from a slow start."
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Watkins was the biggest factor, holding the Road Warriors together despite Bolick having to be sidelined starting at the 7:17 mark of the third period after twisting his ankle after landing off a drive.
"Today was a must-win to get us to advance to the playoffs and I wasn't ready to go home yet. So I had to come and give it the best energy I had," said Watkins.
Bolick did return with still 10:37 left in the game and promptly boomed in a triple that gave the Road Warriors an irrepressible 88-69 lead.
By becoming the eighth team to notch at least six wins, NLEX also quashed 5-7 San Miguel Beer's hopes of entering the quarterfinals, marking the first time in 10 years that the Beermen failed to make it to post-eliminations play.
For NLEX to gain an outright quarterfinal seat Magnolia (5-6) and Rain or Shine (6-5), must also lose their remaining games on the final day of the eliminations Friday.
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Should the Road Warriors get locked in a triple tie at 6-6 with the Hotshots and Elasto Painters, the quotient would favor the former and they can go as high as No. 7.
The loss, its second straight, dragged Eastern down to a 7-5 record and in danger of being relegated to No. 7 and a win-twice handicap against the No. 2 team in the QF.
Chris McLaughlin had 18 points and 17 rebounds, while Hayden Blankley and Glen Yang had 14 and 12 markers, respectively, for Eastern, which trailed by just a point at the half before failing to match NLEX's continuous surge in the third period that enabled the latter to stretch its lead to 65-57, going to the final frame. (NC)
The Scores :
NLEX 94 - Watkins 41, Bolick 21, Mocon 9, Policarpio 9, Herndon 6, Torres 5, Ramirez 3, Alas 0, Semerad 0.
EASTERN 76 - McLaughlin 18, Blankley 14, Yang 12, Lam 11, Cao 5, Cheuung 5, Chan 4, Guincahrd 3, Pok 2, Leung 2.
QUARTERS: 18-23, 43-42, 65-57, 94-76
