NLEX shot the lights out Sunday and thus fully put the lights off on Blackwater's flickering hopes of getting past the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations.
Philip Paniamogan, Bong Galanza and Kenneth Ighalo led a three-point shooting onslaught by the Road Warriors that pointed them to a 122-101 victory over the Elite at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The trio combined for 16 of NLEX's total 21 triples that boosted them to as much as a 29-point spread en route to a second straight lopsided win.
Now with a 4-5 slate overall, the Road Warriors climbed up to seventh-running spot and can officially lay claim to one of the four remaining berths in the last eight if they rack up more wins against Barangay Ginebra on Saturday and Magnolia Ang Pambansang Manok on April 3.
"We still have two games left so worried kami na may chance pa na ma-cut kami. That's why the Ginebra and Magnolia games are really going to be important for us," said NLEX coach Yeng Guiao.
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"I'm pretty sure we need to win our next two games," added Guiao. "Manalo kami ng isa lang some other results of other games which will not be in our control should happen, so kailangan naming manalo ng dalawa para sigurado kaming di matanggal."
The win came on the heels of a 90-71 drubbing of Alaska and largely made possible by NLEX going 21-of-53 from deep.
Paniamogan laced his career-high-tying 25 points with five triples, Galanza went six of 11 triple tries for 18 points and Ighalo also went 5-of-8 from beyond the arc for 17 points.
Despite tweaking his left knee that forced his sidelining late i the third period, Poy Erram was able to finish the game and wound up with 20 points and 10 rebounds while Juami Tiongson added 13 points and a gamehigh 11 assists.
Guiao was quick to point out his team's defense was as crucial in the win as it forced Blackwater to 15 turnovers and a 45 percent field shooting that only started going in the second half.
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"We've been playing good defense," stressed Guiao. "At least in the last two games we've been consistent on defense. The effort was there and it's creating a lot of offensive opportunities that we've had. So kapag maganda depensa namin sumasama opensa."
The loss was the Elite's eighth in 10 games, making it the first team to officially bow out of the race to the quarterfinals.
Even if the Elite turn the tables on Magnolia in their Friday match, they could not hope to match the four wins current eighth-placer Columbian already has.
Allein Maliksi scored 20 points, Mike Digregorio added 17, Abu Tratter 16 and 12 rebounds but they and the rest of Blackwater simply could not match NLEX's torrid pace.
A brief flash of the all-around game Elite coach Bong Ramos wanted from his charges was had when they trimmed what was once a 55-84 deficit to just 86-95, still 8:13 left.
But Ighalo's corner triple promptly sparked a 15-4 exchange, capped by Galanza's back-to-back treys, that gave NLEX a 110-90 cushion.
Earlier, Galanza's back-to-back treys, coming on the heels of one each by Paniamogan and JR Quinahan, resulted in NEX's 12-2 charge from a 25-27 deficit and sent it well on its way. (NC)
The scores:
NLEX 122 - Paniamogan 25, Erram 20, Galanza 18, Ighalo 17, Tiongson 13, Quinahan 8, Porter 6, Tallo 5, Soyud 4, Lao 4, Baguio 2, Taulava 0, Magat 0, Varilla 0.
Blackwater 101 - Maliksi 20, Digregorio 17, Tratter 16, Desiderio 12, Belo 11, Cortez 6, Banal 6, Dario 6, Sumang 5, Jose 2, Sena 0, Al-Husaaini 0, Javier 0,
Quarters: 23-22, 57-42, 89-72, 122-101.
