Bolick wins PBA weekly accolade

Sports

IT TOOK a monster performance from deadly gunner Robert Bolick for the NLEX Road Warriors to stay in playoff contention in the ongoing 49th PBA Commissioner's Cup.

Bolick racked up 40 points and 10 assists that led the Road Warriors to a critical 122-110 win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters last Saturday, January 25.

For the stellar peformance, Bolick was named the PBA Player of the Week for the January 21-26 period.

Bolick's output was historic as he became the first player in the league to record at least 40 points and 10 assists in the past 41 years.

The last player to achieve the feat was the legendary Ramon Fernandez, who recorded had 44 points and 15 assists for Beer Hausen during a 1984 game against guest team Northern Consolidated. Fernandez also collected 17 rebounds in Beer Hausen’s 122-117 overtime win.

Bolick admitted being extra motivated coming into the match.

“Wala nang bukas e,” said Bolick in a pba.ph report. “Meron pa kaming opportunity, may hope pa na makapasok kami. Minsan-minsan lang mangyari ‘to kaya gusto namin i-grab yung opportunity."

With Bolick's heroics, NLEX improved to 5-6 (win-loss), earning a share of eighth spot with Magnolia.

The big win pushed the Road Warriors to just one win away from earning a spot in the quarterfinal round. NLEX will try to formally earn a playoff spot when it takes guest team Eastern at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, January 29.

Bolick earned the weekly accolade by edging out NorthPort’s Arvin Tolentino and Magnolia’s Zavier Lucero and Jerom Lastimosa.

Tolentino powered the Batang Pier to two wins over the San Miguel Beermen and the Blackwater Bossing while Lucero and Lastimosa played key roles in the Hotshots’ 107-78 triumph over Eastern.(CCM)