ALL seemed lost for the NLEX Road Warriors midway in the fourth quarter.

They were down 10 points, their shots were not falling and their defense was beginning to slow down.

Worse, four of their key players—Ronald Pascual, Ian Sangalang, Calvin Abueva and Dave Marcelo hurriedly left the game at the start of the fourth quarter to play for their respective schools in the Philippine Collegiate Championship League at the San Juan Arena.

Then RR Garcia and Cliff Hodge got into a zone, took matters into their hands and powered the Road Warriors to a 75-73 comeback victory over Blackwater on Monday in the Philippine Basketball Association Developmental League Aspirants Cup at the Trinity University of Asia Gym.

The duo, who struggled with their games in the first half, scored all but two of their team’s last 24 points as NLEX wiped out a 51-61 deficit in the last 5:47. Garcia went four-of-six, including three three-pointers during that span, while Hodge went five-of-five with a three-point shot.

“The players deserve the win. They didn’t give up even when things didn’t look good,” said NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez.

The loss was a heartbreaker for Blackwater (3-3), which picked up its third consecutive defeat and fell into a tie for sixth and seventh place with idle RnW Pacific Pipes.

It was the second-straight win and third overall in four games for the third placed Road Warriors.

“Noong umalis ung apat na teammates ko after the third, sabi ni coach dalhin ko daw ‘yung team. Swerte naman nagpapasok ‘yung mga tira ko,” said Garcia, last year’s University Athletic Association of the Philippines Most Valuable Player. He finished with 18 points, five assists and one steal.

Hodge showed the way for NLEX with 23 points and nine rebounds. Eman Monfort, who was allowed by Ateneo caioch Norman Black to play, scored 11 points while smoothly anchoring NLEX’s offense.

The Elite trailed, 34-47, with 6:32 to play in the third. But Rocky Acidre knocked in a three-pointer and Mark Bringas, came off the bench to score seven straight points as Blackwater outscored NLEX, 17-3, to take a 51-50 lead going into the fourth.

Blackwater hiked the lead to 10 on a basket by Chris Camus with 6:16 to play but the Elite faltered on both ends the rest of the way.