Clutch plays propel NLEX past Mahindra

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MAHINDRA tried to fight fire with fire, but NLEX turned out to have plenty of water in the end.

The Road Warriors’ defense hung tough in the endgame, enabling them to escape the Enforcer’s clutches for an 82-81 squeaker Wednesday and a second straight win in the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Henry Walker scored 39 points but Kevin Alas shared the limelight as he stripped James White in the dying seconds, capping a crucial stretch in which Mahindra was held scoreless in the last 1:40 of the game.

As a result, NLEX followed up its 88-85 win over Star last Friday and moved alongside Meralco for sixth-
running spot. The Bolts, however, could break out of that tie should they prevail over undermanned Blackwater later in the evening.

Still, Road Warriors coach Boyet Fernandez is very pleased with the way his team continued to make stops that helped put a recent three-game slide behind it.

“I do credit this win to our defense,” said Fernandez. “We made three good stops in the last two minutes and I am really happy we followed our defensive schemes.”

Fernandez also made special mention of Alas’ game-saving heroics. “Kevin did a good job following the instructions of staying with White, waiting and waiting until White penetrates.”

KG Canaleta scattered a season-high 23 points while White wound up with 21 points, 15 rebounds and three blocks. But the two had a turnover each and the former also missed a jumper in the decisive stretch.

As a result, the Enforcer dropped their second straight game and are now at third-running spot behind unbeaten leader TNT KaTropa and defending champion San Miguel Beer.

“We’re hoping these two straight won games would help us prepare for our back-to=back games against Meralco and Phoenix next week,” said Fernandez.

Before NLEX’s defense clicked into place there was Walker, who scored all but five of his team’s 22 points in the fourth quarter, practically single-handedly taking on Mahindra.

The five-year NBA veteran last scored on a short jumper to cap an 11-0 run in which he had eight points as the Road Warriors charged back from a 71-79 deficit for a three-point lead, still 2:00 remaining.

White’s free throws cut the deficit to just a single point, but Mahindra would not score again, coming up empty in each of the two timeouts called by assistant coach Chris Gavina, the last with 11 seconds to play and White as focus.

The ending capped a miserable night for White, who came into the game averaging 28 points per game on 62 percent field shooting, but went just 7-for-21 from the floor.

Fellow starter Aldrech Ramos also struggled despite some good looks, going just 1-for-4 and finishing with just three points, 11 off his average.

Canaleta was there to pick up the scoring slack, actually scattering 21 of his points in the last two quarters. He strung up five straight points to give Mahindra its biggest lead of the game at 79-71, but some of his fire were doused by the fifth foul he committed against Walker, still 4:29 left.

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