NLEX stays undefeated after outlasting Rain or Shine in double OT

MANILA, Philippines – It was a night of many firsts for the NLEX Road Warriors.

Perhaps most significant of all is starting the 2017 PBA Governors’ Cup at 3-0 for the first time in franchise history, a strong indicator of the headway they’re making toward becoming playoffs contenders.

NLEX reached the milestone by outlasting the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 122-114, in double overtime on Wednesday, July 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Kevin Alas notched a personal milestone with a career-high 24 points to go with 10 rebounds, 5 assists, and only one turnover in nearly 38 minutes, just days after he was voted Player of the Week by the PBA Press Corps.

Import Aaron Fuller posted 33 markers and 20 boards, while JR Quiñahan added 13 points.

Larry Fonacier chipped in 11 markers, including a huge 3-pointer that pushed NLEX’s lead to 8 with a minute to go in the second overtime, effectively shutting the door on Rain or Shine.

“We have to learn how to win games like this if we want to get to the next level to beat teams, beat contenders,” said head coach Yeng Guiao.

“Finish the game strong, make the right decisions, make the right plays. It’s still a learning process for us.”

In another first, Guiao beat his old team for the first time since moving to NLEX before this season. Guiao steered Rain or Shine to two championships during his 5-year tenure as its coach.

“Beating Rain or Shine is a testament to the progress we’ve made,” the veteran noted. “It’s an awkward feeling beating that team, there’s a feeling that I am still the coach of that team.”

All 5 of the Painters’ starters made it to double figures on top of 3 more guys from the bench, but they were hurt badly by their 25 turnovers that gave 33 points to the Road Warriors.

JD Weatherspoon led Rain or Shine with 25 points and 15 rebounds, while James Yap had 14 markers, just 3 points shy of joining the 10,000-point club.

Rain or Shine, which is now 1-1, was also dominated inside with points in the paint swinging lopsidedly toward NLEX, 66-48.

The Road Warriors are enjoying this welcome resurgence after back-to-back 2-9 conferences and languishing in last place. At one point they also endured a 13-game losing streak that ended with a couple of wins to close out the Commissioner’s Cup, making NLEX’s total win streak at 5 games since last conference.

One more good thing going for NLEX is how they passed such a huge character test in going up 3-0. But Guiao is choosing to err on the side of caution.

“We’re not yet contenders,” he said. “We’re not yet on the level of contenders, we’re just having a good run.”

Scores: 

NLEX (122): Fuller 33, Alas 24, Quiñahan 13, Fonacier 11, Lastimosa 10, Mallari 9, Tiongson 6, J. Villanueva 5, Taulava 4, Soyud 3, Al-Hussaini 2, Ighalo 2, Monfort 0, Rios 0.

Rain or Shine (114): Weatherspoon 20, Belga 15, Yap 14, Ahanmisi 13, Chan 12, Norwood 10, Cruz 10, Almazan 10, Tiu 9, King 1, Ponferada 0. 

Quarter scores: 26-27, 59-55, 84-81, 101-101, 122-114.

– Rappler.com