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Taulava powers NLEX to its first win in the PBA over GlobalPort

Asi Taulava of NLEX flexed his muscles late in the game as he carried the Road Warriors to their team's first victory in the PBA. (Czeasar Dancel/NPPA Images)

Experience trumped youth and size overcame strength as veteran-laden NLEX outsteadied GlobalPort in a thrilling finish on Tuesday night, eking out a 101-96 victory to set in motion its PBA Philippine Cup campaign at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Outplayed in the first three quarters by the Batang Pier’s three-headed monster of guards in Terrence Romeo, Alex Cabagnot, and top rookie pick Stanley Pringle, the Road Warriors saved their best for last as ageless center Asi Taulava teamed up with fellow grizzled veterans KG Canaleta and Mac Cardona in a decisive 16-7 windup in the final three minutes.

The 6-foot-10 Taulava, the oldest cager in the league at 41, turned back the hands of Father Time anew as he banged in 12 of his team-high 21 points in the fourth canto where NLEX exploded for 31 markers and, in the process, exposed anew the primary chink in GlobalPort’s armor–its inability to close out with a fury.

Backing up Taulava, who also had eight rebounds and five assists, were battle-scarred Canaleta and Cardona, who pumped in 10 of their combined 28 markers in the fourth canto aside from a pair of crucial defensive stops in the stretch.

The win enabled NLEX to join opening day winners, crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra and newcomer Kia Motors, in the early lead.

In contrast, the Batang Pier earned another bitter pill to swallow, having controlled majority of the way behind their prized guard rotation but lacked anew the needed poise and composure in the face of the Road Warriors’ steady finish.

Going for naught with GlobalPort’s sorry loss were the game-high 33 markers of the 5-foot-11 Romeo along with the combined 37-point output from Cabagnot and Pringle.

Despite scoring 14 of the first 16 points, the Road Warriors found themselves trailing as Cabagnot and Romeo conspired in a 25-7 counterattack that gave the Batang Pier control majority in the first half, even leading by as many as 10 markers at 49-39 off Cabagnot’s back-to-back triples.

But NLEX, with head coach Boyet Fernandez making instructions behind the team’s bench, started to show signs of life in the third as unheralded guard Pamboy Raymundo, along with forward Aldrech Ramos, provided the spark and pulled them within 65-66.

However, Romeo spared GlobalPort blushes with timely buckets while center Yancy de Ocampo and Kelly Nabong made a pair of inside incursions that kept them on top with a nine-point lead with less than six minutes left to play.

What seemed to be an easy cruise for the Batang Pier turned out to be a big meltdown as the Road Warriors went on a big 14-3 tear, with Taulava wrecking havoc in the lane and Canaleta draining a pair of triples, the lat giving them a 97-92 cushion with 1:11 left to play.

After GlobalPort’s Mark Isip and Asi Taulava traded buckets, Romeo kept the Batang Pier in the thick of things by draining a gutsy layup off the NLEX center.

Although Romeo missed his bonus shot that could pull them within two, teammate Noy Baclao corralled the leather but missed a point blank shot and was even outhustled by Cardona for the leather, with the former La Salle star suing for time.

Cardona, however, nearly turned to be the goat when he made an error but gained a big sigh of relief when Canaleta stymied Cabagnot and forced the GloablPort guard to hesitate from pulling up for a potential tying triple and make a dribbling violation, virtually sealing the deal with 9.4 seconds left.  
 
The Main Man: Ageless Asi Taulava proved he still ahs enough of juice left in his tank as he pumped in 12 of his team-best 21 points in the fourth canto.
 
Honorable Mentions: Giving Taulava the biggest lift were the likes of fellow veterans Mac Cardona and KG Canaleta, who made timely buckets and key defensive gems in the stretch.
 
Game Turning Point:  After forcing NLEX guard Mac Cardona to turn the ball over, GlobalPort had the golden chance to tie the game anew in transition but Alex Cabagnot, who was set to uncork a triple, hesitated against defender KG Canaleta. Cabagnot travelled which sealed the fate of GlobalPort.
 
 They Said It:

NLEX assistant coach Adonis Tierra: Nagkaproblema kami sa matchup at pick and roll sa first half. We rotated three players on Pringle.
 
NLEX center Asi Taulava: We just believed in one another.
 
 
The scores:

NLEX 101 - Taulava 21, Cardona 20, Ramos 16, Villanueva 11, Borboran 9, Canaleta 8, Villanueva 8, Raymundo 5, Camson 2, Villarias 1, Apinan 0, Baloria 0.

GLOBALPORT 96 - Romeo 33, Cabagnot 23, Pringle 14, Buenafe 6, Nabong 6, De Ocampo 6, Baclao 4, Isip 2, Jensen 2, Duncil 0, Ponferada 0.

Quarter scores: 25-29, 47-53, 70-76, 101-96.