Andrew Nicholson sizzles early to lead Bay Area to 54-point demolition of Terrafirma

Andrew Nicholson caught fire early on for the Dragons. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

PASIG--Bay Area gave Terrafirma possibly the biggest blow in its latest struggle with a 130-76 blowout win in their PBA Commissioner's Cup game on Friday at the PhilSports Arena.

The Dragons' domination of the Dyip was the largest win by any team since the Shell Turbochargers also clobbered the Tanduay Rhum Masters by 54 points, 154-100 in the 1986 Open Conference.

This is also the third time someone won by 54 points counting U-Tex's 170-116 victory over Fiberglass in the 1976 Open Conference.

Bay Area came just one point shy of matching the all-time record winning margin of 55 points also set by U-Tex in a 154-99 win against Great Taste in the 1980 Open Conference.

Andrew Nicholson was on fire at the start to lead the now 6-1 Dragons, scoring 19 points in the first quarter and 31 by halftime, the most in the 1st half since Justin Brownlee sizzled early for 33 points in the first half of Barangay Ginebra's 2019 Governors' Cup game in Dubai against the NLEX Road Warriors.

Nicholson settled for a 37-point scoreline along with 10 rebounds and one assist when he was subbed out for good with 2:48 left in the third quarter and the outcome already decided then.

Juami Tiongson tallied 21 points on 9-of-15 shooting, two rebounds, two assists, and one steal for the Dyip, which dropped their 22nd straight game overall, dropping to 0-6 in the conference.

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