Al Thornton wasn’t even supposed to be 100 percent, but 50 points against a defense that pressured him all night certainly belied that.

The NLEX import was again at his best against Barangay Ginebra, matching his PBA career-high after shooting 10 in overtime to lead the Road Warriors to a 114-112 victory in the Commissioner’s Cup eliminations at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao on Friday night.

Coach Boyet Fernandez told media after the game that Thornton is not expected to be in top shape until after two weeks after getting stem cell therapy in the United States last Dec. 23 that usually would take two complete months to take effect.

“It’s only his fighting spirit that made him play the way he did,” Fernandez told reporters. “We won this game because of none other than Al Thornton. No words can describe that guy,”

Fernandez also said that Thornton got the expensive treatment without asking any help from the team.

“He came in after taking stem cell (treatment) to help us out for the long haul,” said the coach. “He bailed us out tonight.”

Thornton’s explosion practically duplicated a similar 50-point output he had also against the Kings in the eliminations of this tournament last season, when he led the Road Warriors to a 96-90 triumph, also in overtime.

Ginebra was led by the 31 points of Othyus Jeffers as the Gin Kings sorely missed the 7-foot Greg Slaughter, who has yet to rejoin the team after contacting measles a week ago.

Kevin Alas fired 21 points and Sean Anthony scored 15 and Jonas Villanueva 12 for the Road Warriors.

Joe Devance scored 18 for the Kings, who were one of the big disappointments in the Philippine Cup after getting the boot in the quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, Mahindra, despite getting a very ordinary game from import Augustus Gilchrist, played with complete command against GlobalPort to prevail, 111-98, and get its campaign off on the right foot.

KG Canaleta, rumored to be on the trading block again before the conference opened on Wednesday, scored all of his 20 points in the first half and got the Enforcers racing out of the gates hard.

There were a total of six locals who scored in double figures for the Enforcers, and it more than made up for the 10-point, seven-rebound performance of Gilchrist as Mahindra survived Terrence Romeo’s career-high tying night.

Romeo, the Gilas Pilipinas standout, scored 16 points in the third quarter and finished with 41, but the Batang Pier also unveiled a not-so-impressive import in Brian Williams to trail by as large as 15 and lose big in the end.

Mahindra coach Chito Victolero praised his locals for a job well done but stressed that he is happy with Gilchrist, although he could not confirm if Gilchrist is here to stay.

“That’s the question right now,” Victolero answered when a reporter asked if Gilchrist’s slot in the team is already cast in stone. “I am happy with AG because he knows how to play with the locals.

“I am very hopeful and positive (of Gilchrist staying) because he has a lot of positive attributes on the floor,” Victolero added.

Point guard LA Revilla scored 17 points and Carl Dehesa came off the bench to shoot 14, including seven in the fourth period that helped keep the Batang Pier at bay.

Dehesa scored five straight points and then fed Aldrech Ramos for a wide-open triple in what turned out to be the backbreaking 8-0 spurt for the Enforcers, who broke away from a 92-89 game with under five minutes remaining.

Romeo was his usual fiery self, but the Batang Pier were literally slowed down by import Brian Williams, who looked overweight and out of shape on the way to a 13-point, 16-rebound night in 38 minutes.

Stanley Pringle, the former Rookie of the Year who is the other half of GlobalPort’s fantastic twosome with Romeo, had 12 points, eight assists and four rebounds but was scoreless in the middle two periods.

Meanwhile, defending champion Tropang TNT and Meralco dispute the early lead Saturday afternoon when they clash at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.

Coming off impressive victories, the Tropang Texters and the Bolts tangle in the 3 p.m. game before Rain or Shine debuts against Star in the 5:15 p.m. contest.

Ivan Johnson, who served out a one-game suspension in the Texters’ 108-102 opening day win over Blackwater, finally suits up to be ranged with the behemoth Arinze Onuaku of the Bolts.

Wayne Chism has returned and will try to finally lead the Elasto Painters to a championship, their campaign starting against fellow former Best Import winner Denzel Bowles and the Hotshots.