Fans had an Easter Sunday treat they would cherish for a little longer than usual. This was last Sunday, April 5, 2026, during a PBA Commissioner’s Cup double-header at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
Game One was won by NLEX over Phoenix, 120-102, in a match that saw Robert Bolick shine brightly anew in spearheading the Road Warriors to their fourth win in five games.
Bolick had a double-double of 22 points and 14 assists as he chiefly masterminded Phoenix’s second loss after winning three games in the 13-team mid-season tournament currently being ruled by the unbeaten Rain or Shine (4-0).
NLEX’s 4-1 record puts the Road Warriors in solo second, followed by Meralco and Terrafirma at 3-1 apiece and TNT in solo fifth at 2-1. Phoenix is 3-2.
NLEX also unleashed another hero in Kevin Alas, who fired 16 of his 18-point total in the fourth and final quarter in a blistering finish to complement Bolick’s heroics.
The Phoenix loss actually tied it with San Miguel Beer at 6-7 places with their identical 3-2 cards following the Beermen’s thrilling 85-82 win over crowd darling Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on Sunday.
And while NLEX transformed a close game into a 120-102 rout over Phoenix, SMB had to climb out of double-digit holes to nip GSM in a nail-chewing finish watched by a sizable throng at the Big Dome.
With June Mar Fajardo (six points only) effectively being shackled by a swarming defense only the likes of Gins coach Tim Cone can device, the Beermen had to lean on CJ Perez’s usual endgame heroics to escape defeat.
Perez, finishing with 20 points after a scoreless first half, was not only scoring but also assisting as well.
With the score tied at 78-all, Perez jumped and then drove for back-to-back hits to give SMB an 82-78 lead with 1:35 left.
Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee countered with four straight points for the game’s final deadlock at 82-all, only 37.3 ticks left.
Then came Don Trollano’s turn to hog the spotlight again, nailing a corner three on a feed from Perez, making it 85-82 after eluding the outstretched arms of Troy Rosario with 8.3 seconds left.
Back-to-back desperate threes by Brownlee and Scottie Thompson were way off the mark, dooming Ginebra to its second loss in four games.
The Gin Kings will surely be wallowing in deep remorse especially after leading by 15 points early on.