Alapag's Road Warriors continue rise, stun Beermen to remain unbeaten

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Jimmy Alapag's NLEX Road Warriors continue to look like one of the PBA's biggest early-season surprises.

NLEX made another emphatic statement Sunday, dismantling powerhouse San Miguel Beer, 110-96, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum to stay unbeaten and seize sole possession of the Group A lead in the Season 50 Governors' Cup.

The victory improved the Road Warriors to 4-0 while handing the Beermen their first defeat of the conference after a three-game winning streak.

NLEX took command with an explosive second quarter, then stretched its advantage to 25 points in the third behind crisp ball movement and efficient shooting. Although San Miguel mounted one last push in the fourth, the Road Warriors never lost their composure.

After Don Trollano helped slice the deficit to eight, Robert Bolick answered with a momentum-shifting four-point play before Robbie Herndon buried a three-pointer to spark a 7-0 response that restored order. Import DeQuan Jones then controlled the closing minutes as NLEX completed another convincing win.

"Really proud of our guys," Alapag said afterward. "Any time you play San Miguel, with all their championship experience, it's always a great test for a young team. But I thought we were very resilient, especially in the second half."

Jones once again anchored the Road Warriors with 27 points and 10 rebounds, while Deschon Winston poured in 24 points, igniting the decisive second-quarter burst that changed the complexion of the game.

Semerad added 15 points, Bolick orchestrated the offense with 14 points, 12 assists, and nine rebounds, and Herndon supplied 13 points off the bench as NLEX showcased the depth and balance that have fueled its perfect start.

Alapag pointed to the leadership of Winston and Bolick as the foundation of the team's success.

"I think a lot of what we do starts with Schonny and Berto," he said. "I thought their aggressiveness early helped set the tone for our team because they can do so much."

"They can score from the perimeter, they can attack the basket, and they've been great for us so far."

San Miguel refused to go quietly, with Trollano catching fire after halftime to fuel an 18-2 run that briefly threatened to turn the game around.

But every Beermen surge was met with a composed response from the Road Warriors, whose confidence never wavered.

"Trollano's one of the best shooters in the league and he got going," Alapag said. "But I thought our poise in the second half was great for the young team that we have, and we were able to get stops and score when we needed."

George King finished with 31 points and eight rebounds for San Miguel, while June Mar Fajardo added 15 points and six boards as the Beermen slipped to 3-1.