Games today
Araneta Coliseum
4:15 p.m.- Meralco vs. Barako Bull
7:00 p.m.- Purefoods vs. Alaska
Veteran center Asi Taulava turned back the hands of time, coming up big in the endgame to power the debuting NLEX Road Warriors to a come-from-behind 101-96 win over the GlobalPort Batang Pier last night in the newly opened 40th PBA Philippine Cup at the Aranete Coliseum.
The ageless Taulava, the oldest player in the league at 41, finished with a team-high 21 points, 12 coming in the fourth period where the Road Warriors turned the game around after losing a double-digit lead.
NLEX (formerly Air21) raced to a 14-2 start but GlobalPort, behind the sizzling shooting of Terrence Romeo, came back in the second quarter to lead by six at the turn, 53-47.
GlobalPort was in control until Taulava, backed by newly acquired Niño Cañaleta, took over in the final five minutes of the contest.
GlobalPort was ahead, 89-82, when Jonas Villanueva hit a trifecta and Taulava completed a three-point play, pushing the Road Warriors within 88-89 with 3:03 to play.
Romeo restored a four-point lead for GlobalPort with a three-pointer but Canaleta answered with his own trey before Taulava made another three-point play, giving NLEX the lead for good, 94-91 with 1:42 to go.
Canaleta hit another triple and Taulava, who also had nine rebounds and eight assists while shooting 13-for-17 from the free throw line, put the game away by hitting a fall-away jumper.
Romeo erupted for a game-high 33 points to lead the Batang Pier.
Stanley Pringle, the number one overall pick in this year’s Rookie Draft, had a so-so debut after scoring just 14 points.
BOX SCORES
NLEX (101) – Taulava 21, Cardona 20, Ramos 16, Villanueva 11, Borboran 9, Canaleta 8, Villanueva 8, Raymundo 5, Camson 2, Villarias 1, Poligrates 0, 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, Taha 0, Duncil 0, Ponferada 0, Cabrera 0.QUARTERSCORES: 25-29, 47-53, 70-76, 101-96.