NLEX booked its first PBA semifinals berth in nearly five years on Saturday, October 31, after flattening Phoenix with a 137-89 rout in Game 3 of their Season 50 Governors' Cup quarterfinals at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
The 48-point blowout completed a three-game sweep of the best-of-five series and ended a painful run of quarterfinal exits for the Road Warriors, who had fallen short in each of the last three conferences.
How the Road Warriors buried Phoenix early
Robert Bolick, fresh off a 31-point explosion in Game 2, set the tone from the opening tip. He knocked down three four-pointers in the first quarter alone, the last of them pushing NLEX ahead 43-21 by the end of the period, according to GMA Network. He added two more triples before halftime as the Road Warriors walked into the break with a 78-43 cushion.
Bolick finished with 23 points, five assists, and four rebounds. Import Deonte Burton and Schonny Winston added 19 points each, while Kevin Alas and LJay Gonzales chipped in 12 apiece.
Winston, whose career-high 31 points powered NLEX in Game 2, dropped 12 in the first half to fuel the breakaway. From there, the bench closed it out without mercy.
For Phoenix, the defeat closes a conference that once promised more. RJ Barrett import Earl Gay Earlington led the Fuel Masters with 19 points, but no Phoenix player could match NLEX's firepower or its hunger.
A quarterfinal curse, finally broken
The win carries weight beyond one game. NLEX had not reached the Top 4 since the 2021-2022 Governors' Cup, when it advanced to the semifinals before losing to eventual champion Barangay Ginebra.
Since then, the Road Warriors suffered one heartbreak after another. They lost to Rain or Shine in the Season 49 Philippine Cup, fell to San Miguel in the Season 50 Philippine Cup, and then wasted a twice-to-beat advantage against TNT in the previous Commissioner's Cup, as the Daily Tribune reported.
That string of failures makes Saturday's sweep feel like a turning point for a franchise that has often teased its fans without delivering.
Bolick and Alapag: the leaders speak
Bolick, who has carried the scoring load all series, said head coach's mindset drove the team's intensity from the start.
Sabi nga ni coach, bihirang-bihira 'yung ganitong opportunities. And nakikita ko rin paano maglaro si coach, kung paano niya dinadala 'yung sarili niya. So gusto ko lang simulan 'yung game na may ganong intensity para naman makita ng teammates ko ready kami lumaban.
Head coach Jimmy Alapag, the former league MVP who has rebuilt the team's culture since returning to the bench, pointed to something simpler than tactics: work ethic.
Extremely, extremely proud of our guys. The one thing that stood out when I came back, that first week together, was just the work ethic. Sobrang sipag nilang lahat. We practice early in the morning and everybody's in the gym two hours before the practice starts.
That discipline showed in the numbers. NLEX scored 43 in the first quarter, 35 in the second, 29 in the third, and 30 in the fourth, never letting Phoenix breathe. The Manila Times described the victory as NLEX throwing its full offensive might at a Fuel Masters side that had no answer.
What comes next for NLEX
The Road Warriors now enjoy an extended break while they wait to learn their semifinal opponent. Rain or Shine and Converge are locked in a 1-1 deadlock in the other quarterfinal series, meaning NLEX will not know its foe until that duel is settled.
Whoever emerges will face a team playing its best basketball of the season. Bolick is scoring in bunches, Winston has found his stroke, Burton is anchoring the paint, and the bench is contributing instead of watching.
Five years is a long wait for a semifinals seat. NLEX has finally cashed it in, and this time the Road Warriors look ready to go further.
FAQ
What was the score of NLEX vs Phoenix in Game 3?
NLEX defeated Phoenix 137-89 on Saturday, October 31, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, completing a three-game sweep of their best-of-five quarterfinals series.
When did NLEX last reach the PBA semifinals?
NLEX last made the semifinals in the 2021-2022 Governors' Cup, where it lost to eventual champion Barangay Ginebra.
Who led NLEX in scoring against Phoenix?
Robert Bolick led the Road Warriors with 23 points, five assists, and four rebounds, while Deonte Burton and Schonny Winston added 19 points each.
Who will NLEX face in the semifinals?
NLEX will face either Rain or Shine or Converge, whose quarterfinal series is tied at 1-1.