Rookie standout Xyrus Torres delivered an explosive performance to lead the NLEX Road Warriors past the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 109-95, in their PBA Philippine Cup clash on Saturday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
Torres scored 28 points, hitting 11 of 12 shots from the field—including five triples—in a near-flawless shooting night. His standout debut overshadowed Rain or Shine’s strong start, which saw them grab an early 11-3 lead. However, NLEX took control by the end of the first quarter, closing it out ahead 32-25, and never looked back.
A triple from Robert Bolick pushed NLEX to a commanding 71-54 lead early in the third, and they held firm to secure their first win of the conference after a previous loss to San Miguel.
Reflecting on his performance, Torres shared his motivation:
“My mindset is to give back to the coaches for the opportunity. I didn’t expect to play this way for the team. As a rookie, I know chances like this are rare, so I carry their trust with me every day.”
Bolick also had a strong outing with 23 points, 12 assists, and seven rebounds. Javee Mocon posted a double-double with 12 points and 10 rebounds, while Anthony Semerad chipped in 18 points.
Torres fell just one shot short of matching Ali Peek’s perfect 12-for-12 field goal record set in 2006.
On the Rain or Shine side, Caelan Tiongson led with 24 points. Santi Santillan and Jhonard Clarito added 13 and 12, respectively.
Final Scores:
NLEX 109 – Torres 28, Bolick 23, Semerad 18, Mocon 12, Bahio 8, Nieto 5, Fajardo 5, Ramirez 3, Policarpio 2, Alas 2, Miranda 2, Valdez 1
Rain or Shine 95 – Tiongson 24, Santillan 13, Clarito 12, Nocum 11, Mamuyac 10, Caracut 9, Norwood 6, Malonzo 5, Asistio 2, Lemetti 3, Datu 0
Quarter Scores: 32-25, 60-50, 86-73, 109-95