Saturday, October 1, 2022

Recap: NorthPort Blasts Meralco, 101-95; NLEX Edges Blackwater, 105-102


NorthPort's Robert Bolick (#8) powers Batang Pier past Meralco scoring a career-high 44 points. Photo credit: PBA Images.

Robert Bolick scored a career-high 44 points to push NorthPort Batang Pier to a 101-95 OT victory over the Meralco Bolts at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday.

The 6-foot-1 guard scored the first five points of the overtime period to help NorthPort come away with the win. He also had six rebounds, seven assists, and a steal.

Meralco led by as much as 20 points in the game, courtesy of import Johnny O'Bryant's 30-point, 22-board, and five-assist effort. However, Bolick proved to be too much to handle for head coach Norman Black's boys as the Bolts opened their season with a loss.

Batang Pier now has a 2-1 slate, bouncing back from their heartbreaking 105-104 defeat in the hands of guest team Bay Area Dragons in their previous game.

Bolick successfully carried NorthPort to the win this time, as he scored at will, including 22 straight points at one instance. He also scored the two free throws that sent the game into overtime.


“Lumaban lang talaga kami. Hindi kami nag-give up. Ang sarap sa feeling,” said Bolick, who fought cramps late in the game. The former San Beda Red Lion overwrote his erstwhile career-high of 33 points set against the Dragons.

Arwind Santos had 15 points, seven boards, two steals, and one block, while import Prince Ibeh contributed 12 points on 4-for-6 shooting, with 11 rebounds, two assists, and a whooping eight blocked shots.

Meanwhile, the NLEX Road Warriors utilized a 14-0 closeout to pull off a come from behind win against Blackwater Bossing, 105-102, in the first game of the afternoon. It was the second straight win for interim coach Adonis Tierra's side, giving them a perfect 2-0 slate so far in the season.

NLEX was down by seven points, 97-90, with less than four minutes remaining, when the Road Warriors mounted the comeback with Kevin Alas scoring five of the fourteen points to close the game.

Import Earl Clark had a monster game, tallying 38 points and 25 rebounds with four assists, three blocks, and one steal in a little over 44 minutes of action. Starter Don Trollano had 18 points, eight boards, and three assists while Alas had 16 points, three rebounds, and three assists off the bench.


Point guard Baser Amer paced Bossing with 26 points, five assists, and two boards, shooting 50 percent from the field. Import Cameron Krutwig contributed 18 points, 14 rebounds, eight assists, and two steals.

Tierra has been in the reigns for the Road Warriors as they await head coach Frankie Lim's arrival. They defeated former NLEX coach Yeng Guiao's Rain or Shine squad in their first game, 96-90.

"The good thing about getting these two tough wins is that the willingness and focus of the players were always there," Tierra said.

Here are the scores:

NLEX 105 — Clark 38, Trollano 18, Alas 16, Nieto 10, Chua 9, Rosales 5, Ganuelas-Rosser 4, Miranda 3, Varilla 2, Ighalo 0.

Blackwater 102 — Amer 26, Krutwig 18, McCarthy 17, Ular 10, Banal 9, Taha 7, Jackson 5, Suerte 5, Rosario 3, Go 2, Ebona 0, Sena 0.

Quarterscores: 20-26, 45-56, 72-81, 105-102.

NorthPort 101 – Bolick 44, Santos 15, Ibeh 12, Tolentino 12, Balanza 7, Sumang 3, Caperal 3, Chan 3, Salado 2, Taha 0, Calma 0, Ferrer 0.

Meralco 95 – O’Bryant 30, Almazan 17, Maliksi 11, Quinto 9, Banchero 8, Black 6, Caram 5, Pasaol 5, Hodge 2, Newsome 2, Pascual 0.

Quarterscores: 26-17; 35-44; 61-71; 89-89; 101-95 OT.


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