Columbian Dyip bucked a terrible start and finished burly in the payoff period to pummel Phoenix Pulse, 115-107, and snap its skid in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday night.
John Fields was a workhorse all night for the Dyip, pouring in a monster double-double performance of 29 points and 26 rebounds on top of six assists in an amazing display to carry his team to victory.
The Dyip, led by Fields, exploded for 42 gigantic points in the fourth period to put the struggling Fuel Masters away.
That solid showing to end the game propelled Columbian to its fourth victory as it snapped a three-game slide in the process. The Dyip improved to 4-5 to move up in the middle, improving its chances of making the quarterfinals.
On the other hand, Phoenix suffered its third straight defeat, falling to 3-5 in the lower echelon of the standings.
Fields got a lot of help, too. Glenn Khobuntin contributed 18 markers, while the backcourt tandem of Jerramy King and Rashawn McCarthy each added 15.
After a sluggish first quarter start where it trailed by 14 right away after the first 11 minutes, Columbian picked itself up and battled back methodically.
The Dyip was able to trim its deficit to only four, 44-48, at the half after the Fuel Masters evidently slowed down.
With momentum, Columbian Dyip continued its fight in the third even as Phoenix kept its lead, 75-73, heading the final 12 minutes of play.
But the Dyip were determined as they clicked on all cylinders in the fourth.
In a stretch in the middle of the period, Columbian outscored Phoenix, 24-13, to carve a 112-99 advantage with under a minute left and snag the win emphatically.
Eugene Phelps’ game-high 34 points and Matthews Wright’ 33 both went for naught as the Fuel Masters were unable to get themselves together when it mattered in the fourth.
The Scores:
COLUMBIAN 115 – Fields 29, Khobuntin 18, King 15, McCarthy 15, Camson 13, Tubid 10, Escoto 6, Ababou 3, Sara 2, Cahilig 2, Corpuz 2, Celda 0.
PHOENIX 107 – Phelps 34, Wright 32, Perkins 14, Revilla 5, Intal 5, Wilson 5, Chan 4, Mendoza 2, Kramer 2, Chua 2, Jazul 2, Gamboa 0, Dehesa 0.
Quarterscores: 17-29, 44-48, 73-75, 115-107.