NLEX import Henry Walker puts up a shot against James White of Mahindra. (PBA IMAGES)
WITH its defense holding in the stretch and Henry Walker doing the damage on the other end, NLEX last night pulled out an 82–81 decision of Mahindra and put the Enforcers in a different kind of streak in the PBA Governors’ Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
Walker scored 17 points in the payoff frame and the Road Warriors survived going scoreless in the final two minutes with three crucial stops as NLEX won a second straight game to rise to a level 3–3 (win-loss).
Mahindra, after opening up with four consecutive victories — a franchise record conference start — has now lost its last two games and, from leading the tournament, dropped to a share of third spot with idle Barangay Ginebra.
Walker, who finished with 39 points, hit a perimeter jumper with 1:57 remaining which made it 82–79, before the Road Warriors turned to their defense in sealing the deal.
Also the hero in an 88–85 nipping of Star last week, Walker had a block on counterpart James White, with Kevin Alas coming up with the biggest defensive gem of the game when he stripped the Mahindra import of possession in the Enforcers’ final play. /inquirer