Down 14, NLEX rallies to shock Ginebra

Games Today (Ynares Center, Antipolo City) 4:30 p.m. – Alaska vs GlobalPort 6:45 p.m. – Magnolia vs San Miguel

NLEX battled back from a 14-point third quarter deficit behind Coach Yeng Guiao’s reliable soldiers and stunned Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 81-78, last night to snap a four-game skid in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome.

JR Quiñahan’s putback off Alex Mallari’s missed three with less than two minutes left gave the Road Warriors the lead for good, 79-77, before getting help from the other team courtesy of the returning Greg Slaughter.

Slaughter had a chance to tie the game with 5.6 seconds left but split his free throws, missing the second try and allowing NLEX to complete its rally from a 50-36 deficit in the third and create a three-way share of seventh to ninth with Ginebra and Phoenix at 3-4.

“I really don’t know how we won the game so please nobody ask me how we won the game,” Guiao told reporters after prevailing in the Petron Saturday Special that was supposed to be played in Legazpi City but was moved to the Pasay City venue due to a series of volcanic activities at Mayon Volcano.

While Guiao felt a numbing effect on how his team orchestrated the huge comeback, Ginebra counterpart Tim Cone was so frustrated that he slammed the locker room door in disgust before calling it a night.

Quiñahan finished with 14 points and five rebounds, but he was not the only player who Guiao trusted from his past stints with Red Bull and Rain or Shine who conspired in the comeback.

Larry Fonacier scored 17 points on 7-of-12 shooting while Cyrus Baguio made all 13 points in the second half as they filled in for the struggles of rookie Kiefer Ravena who was held to just seven points on 1-of-12 shooting.

Mallari, who only played for Guiao last season, also stepped up with 11 points for NLEX, which won for the first time since a Christmas Day victory over GlobalPort.

Japeth Aguilar had 21 points and seven rebounds but missed a corner three that would have given Ginebra the lead in the dying seconds. Slaughter, who grabbed the miss, was fouled by Michael Miranda for a chance to level the count.

Slaughter made the first charity to pull Ginebra within 79-78, but muffed his second much to the dismay of the predominant Ginebra crowd. NLEX also caught a lucky break when Ginebra’s Sol Mercado was whistled for a technical for failing to report to the table officials on a substitution, allowing Fonacier to sink a technical freebie for 80-78.

Ravena’s split with 0.4 seconds left sealed the deal for the Road Warriors.