NLEX battles back from 19 points, edges San Miguel in OT thriller

MANILA, Philippines -- The NLEX Road Warriors stormed from 19 points down to stun the debuting San Miguel Beermen in overtime, 117-113, for their first win in the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup Wednesday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

With NLEX leading by just two in overtime, 115-113, June Mar Fajardo was posting up and went down low with the time winding down.

But Kevin Alas stole the ball with 14 seconds remaining, getting fouled and being sent to the line.

After Alas made his first free throw, he missed his second. Somehow miraculously, he grabbed his own miss and was again fouled.

Alas then split his freebies anew, but the Road Warriors' four-point lead was too much to overcome.

Chris Ross missed a 3-pointer on the other end, sealing the win for NLEX.

The Beermen looked primed to kick off their campaign with a win after they took a 15-point lead entering halftime, 62-47, after a Terrence Romeo 3-pointer.

They turned it up a notch in the third quarter as they hiked their lead to 19, 74-55, at the 7:19 mark of the frame following an and-one play by import Ivan Aska.

But NLEX cut the lead to seven, 72-79, with 1:06 left in the quarter with a three-point play by Don Trollano.

With San Miguel leading by 10, 82-72, at the start of the fourth quarter, NLEX scored eight straight points to cut the lead to two, 80-82, with a Kris Rosales three pointer.

However, the Beermen jumped to a 10-point lead anew with 7:47 left in regulation, 93-83, with a CJ Perez trey.

Following a June Mar Fajardo jumper to push San Miguel to a seven-point lead, 103-96, Rosales made back-to-back treys to cut the lead to one.

A layup by Romeo gave the Beermen a three-point cushion, but Rosales tied the game with nine seconds left in regulation to ultimately bring the game to overtime.

In the extra period, the two teams traded baskets early. A split from the line by Fajardo with 3:46 remaining gave San Miguel a one point lead, 108-107, but a Kevin Alas layup handed the lead to NLEX.

A pair of free throws by Alas gave a three-point cushion to NLEX, 111-108, but the game was tied anew after a Simon Enciso trey.

Robinson answered with a jumper, but Perez put the game on a deadlock once