Ageless Taulava keys NLEX win over Blackwater

Game Saturday (Davao)

5 p.m. – San Miguel vs Globalport

Games Sunday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

3 p.m. – Mahindra vs Rain or Shine

5:15 p.m. – Star vs Ginebra

MANILA, Philippines – Asi Taulava is not about to slow down at 42 and in his 17th PBA season.

To start the new season, the ageless warrior churned out a clutch performance, grabbing a big offensive rebound and knocking down four charities in the last 37 seconds as NLEX outfought Blackwater, 90-86, in the 2015-16 Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday night.

Taulava made big plays at endgame to cap a double-double game with 19 points and 12 rebounds and help preserve NLEX’s unbeaten record in head-on matches with Blackwater.

“It’s a tough win, and credit goes to Blackwater who made it really tough for us in this game,” said NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez.

Last season, NLEX swept Blackwater in three games by a whopping average margin of 20 points.

In this game, the Road Warriors had to fight back from an early double-digit deficit and buck Keith Agovida’s nine-point fourth-quarter flurry.

Meanwhile, the Petron Blaze PBA road series hits the road, bringing an interesting match between two-conference champ San Miguel Beer and a beefed-up Globalport side in the UTEP Gym in Davao City Saturday night.

The Beermen, led by back-to-back MVP winner Junmar Fajardo, and the Batang Pier, bannered by their exciting backcourt rotation of Terrence Romeo, Stanley Pringle, Joseph Yeo, Jonathan Uyloan, Roi Sumang, clash at 5 p.m.

“This is a good lesson for us. We must learn from this and hopefully we improve as the tournament goes on,” said Fernandez of their close win over the Elite.

The Road Warriors, who trailed most of the way, pulled through as Taulava brought down a key offensive rebound, nailed two charities then Reil Cervantes muffed a game-tying three-point attempt.

Trade acquisition Sean Anthony, rookie draftee Simon Enciso and old mainstay Mark Borboran delivered the buckets as NLEX seized control at 85-78 with time down to five minutes.

Cervantes and Agovida, however, brought Blackwater back into the fight, and Taulava needed to come through at endgame.

The Elite sizzled with a remarkable 7-of-11 three-pointers as they got off to a hot start, leading by 11 at 28-17 before settling for a 42-41 halftime lead.

Agovida, a rookie draftee from Arellano U, top scored for Blackwater with 15 points with Raphy Reyes and Cervantes adding 13 and 12, respectively.

Scoring more than 80 points in a game as a high school baller with JRU in 2008, Agovida flashed his scoring prowess in his personal spurt in the payoff period.

Fresh from another stint as a national player, Taulava also came up with three assists, one steal and one block on top of his double-double numbers for NLEX.

Enciso, Anthony and Borboran contributed at least 10 points each.