PBA: NLEX braves through gruesome DeQuan Jones injury, prevails vs TNT in OT thriller

LJay Gonzales helped finish the job for NLEX in overtime en route to a career game. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—NLEX showed heart just when TNT was already pouncing on DeQuan Jones' absence and walked away with a 118-111 overtime win in their PBA Governors' Cup second-round meeting on Tuesday night at the Ynares Center 1 in Antipolo.

The Road Warriors were forced to play all-Filipino the rest of the way after Jones left the game with a lower-leg fracture in the third quarter.

Down by as much as 14 points, the Tropang 5G took advantage of it and rallied back to take a five-point lead, 102-97, with 1:23 left in regulation.

However, Robert Bolick never gave up, scoring 10 points in 41 seconds, including back-to-back four-pointers to save NLEX and force overtime.

Then it was "The LJay and Tony Show" in the extension as LJay Gonzales and Anthony Semerad took over for the team, scoring all 11 points in the additional five minutes.

Bolick finished with 27 points on 7 of 14 shooting, including 5 of 7 on twos and 2 of 3 on fours, five rebounds, eight assists, two steals, and two blocks to lead the Road Warriors, who bounced back from a stinging loss to the Terrafirma Dyip and moved up to 7-1.

Gonzales added a career-high 26 points, six rebounds, two assists, and one steal off the bench, while Jones made 23 points on 5-for-9 field goals and 10-for-14 free throws, four rebounds, one assist, and one block before he was rushed to the nearest hospital.

Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson led TNT, which dropped to a tie with Converge, 120-103 winner against Terrafirma in the first game, with 30 points on 12-for-21 shooting, 13 rebounds, two assists, one steal, and one block.

Rey Nambatac added 28 points on 6-for-9 outside shooting, five rebounds, and three assists, but he was dearly missed in the endgame after fouling out in regulation.