ONCE again, Phoenix’s balanced attack paid dividends as it was able to deal NLEX its first loss, 102-95, and gain its second straight win in the 2018 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum yesterday.
The Fuel Masters drew a team-high 19 points, five rebounds and seven assists from Matthew Wright, while Jeff Chan came off the bench to score 18 points as they led six players in double-figures.
The two teams are now tied at 2-1.
Following a slow first-quarter start, Phoenix fired from all cylinders in the last three quarters.
While the game was still up for grabs by halftime with the Fuel Masters only ahead, 54-53, Phoenix’s third quarter surge did the trick.
The Fuel Masters poured in 34 points in the third canto against only 20 of NLEX, resulting in a sizeable 88-73 advantage going into the fourth quarter.
While NLEX tried desperately to give itself a chance, Phoenix stood its ground and kept its foe at bay, breezing through to preserve the victory.
RJ Jazul tallied 15 markers, while rookie Jason Perkins continued his solid play with 14. Big men Justin Chua and Doug Kramer contributed as well, scoring 12 and 10, respectively, for more firepower for Phoenix.
After shining bright in his first two games, NLEX super rookie Kiefer Ravena was somehow limited by the Phoenix defense.
He only ended up with eight points and seven assists, while Larry Fonacier had game-high honors for NLEX in its first taste of defeat.
The Road Warriors held an early double-digit lead, 19-9, but immediately, the Fuel Masters dug itself out of trouble before slowly but surely wrestling control of the game away from NLEX.
Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra (1-0) is shooting for its first win as it is battling unpredictable GlobalPort (0-1) as of this report in the nightcap.
