MANILA, Philippines – When the 2024 PBA All-Star Game ended in a draw, Robert Bolick himself could not believe that he had pulled off the biggest play of the game.

The NLEX player was shocked to finish a rare five-point play as the game ultimately finished in a 140-all draw since he wasn’t very pleased with how he played for Team Mark versus Team Japeth.

“You see even a layup, I miss,” he grinned shortly after the game at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum. “I do not know either!” “I told Marcio, let him layup me — I made a layup, I missed!”

With fewer than 20 seconds remaining and the team facing a 141-136 deficit, Bolick pulled up for a four-point play. Calvin Oftana closed out too much on him, and he was called for a foul right before the shot went in.

After he calmly sank his bonus free shot to equalize the game, the team headed by Barroca resorted to defense to stop their opponents from scoring.

It was Bolick’s first-ever four-point shot. In Team Scottie’s 140-136 loss against Team Japeth in the Passi game of the previous year, he went 0-for-8.

“I didn’t shoot even last year; this is my first time,” the 28-year-old guard said.

“Maybe the Lord just blessed him.”

Bolick also acknowledged the assistance of his veteran players, including Barroca, hometown favorite James Yap, and Jayson Castro.

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“It’s nice when you have veteran teammates, I’m talking to Jayson, Mark, ‘Just stay.’ Coach Jorge, he also says, ‘Help! Live there.’ It was a coincidence,” he stated.

Bolick, who finished with 13 points, and Aguilar, who scored 21 points, shared the MVP award for the All-Star Game as a result of that tremendous shot. However, the young guard who asked his “brother” will be the one walking away with the prize.

“I’m also thankful to Japeth, he gave me the All-Star [MVP]. I said give it to me, you have a lot of trophies at home,” stated the rapper.

However, the San Beda product feels that CJ Perez should have received the citation after scoring 39 points overall, including 28 in the second quarter.

“But in my opinion, CJ is the MVP,” he stated. “CJ really delivered, scoring 32 points at halftime. What was his final score—50 or 39?”

Still, Bolick & Co. are happy with the outcome of the ASG, having first thought it would be a one-sided process from the start.

“I thought the overtime would be played. It’s better to have a winner. But it’s an All-Star, at least it’s good for me, I’m the one who tied it,” he stated.

Robert Bolick’s five-point play puts an end to the All-Star Game’s deadlock

In an exciting finale to the PBA All-Star Bacolod 2024, which was watched by a sold-out crowd at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum on Sunday night, Team Japeth and Team Mark finished in a deadlock, 140-140.

With 17.8 seconds left, Robert Bolick converted a rare five-point play following a foul by Calvin Oftana, striking the heaviest blow of the game to equalize the score after Barroca and company had fallen down by as many as 31 points.

With 3.2 seconds remaining, Oftana attempted to atone for his mistake by trying for the game-winning layup over CJ Perez. However, he missed, and Team Mark went on to secure the victory with Bolick there to grab the rebound.

Barroca, the team captain, contributed seven assists, four rebounds, and twenty points. Calvin Abueva scored ten rebounds and finished with a double-double.

Rookie Ricci Rivero played well in his first ASG, finishing with 15 points and 6 rebounds, while June Mar Fajardo scored 17 points and grabbed seven rebounds.

Roger Pogoy, on the other side, led Team Japeth with 25 points. Aguilar scored 21 points, compared to Marcio Lassiter’s 24.

Their explosive 46-point game was led by Jamie Malonzo, who scored 17 points, including 15 in the first quarter. Arvin Tolentino and Terrence Romeo, the previous three-time All-Star MVP, added 13 and 11 points, respectively.

Scores:

• Team Japeth 140
• Team Mark 140