The Phoenix Fuel Masters made it look like life without Jeff Chan won’t be too tough, as they drowned the GlobalPort Batang Pier by as deep as 27, 135-108, to snap their four-game skid, Wednesday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Phoenix shipped the Negros sniper to the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel this past Monday for a 2018 first round draft pick. Chan left the Fuel Masters with averages of 11.6 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists this 2018 Commissioner’s Cup.
The Fuel Masters have improved to 4-6 and have kept their playoff hopes afloat in the mid-season conference. The Batang Pier, on the other hand, dropped to 4-5, similar to the Magnolia Hotshots and the Columbian Dyip.
“Finally,” exhaled Phoenix head coach Louie Alas. “Hopefully this will be the start of something big for us… ‘Yun lang naman hinihintay namin eh, magkaroon ng breakout game where mama-manage namin ‘yung lead.
“Hopefully nagii-start na yung pag-grow ng team ngayon,” he added.
Import Eugene Phelps had a triple-double to power the Fuel Masters, finishing with 37 points, 22 rebounds, and 10 assists. He got his 10th dime with 1:40 left to play, as RJ Jazul converted his kick-out to a trey.
Filipino-Canadian sharpshooter Matthew Wright produced 24 points on an excellent 9-of-13 shooting from the floor – spiked by six triples – on top of two rebounds and two steals.
Unlike in their last losses, where they led big only to fold in the end, Phoenix played consistently this time around. They already led by 22, 41-19, with around 20 seconds left in the first quarter and never looked back.
The Batang Pier couldn’t get things going on their side, leaving them frustrated. As a result, the Fuel Masters’ lead ballooned to as huge as 36, 97-61, after Phelps’ split freebies with less than four minutes left in the third.
Rookie Jason Perkins supplied 13 points and six rebound, while Jazul chipped in 11 markers for Phoenix.
Malcolm White led GlobalPort with 24 points and six rebounds. Sean Anthony made 15 points and seven boards, while Stanley Pringle provided 14 points and seven caroms as well against a game-high eight turnovers.
Phoenix will have a lengthy break before facing the Alaska Aces on July 6, Friday, 4:30 PM at the Cuneta Astrodome, while GlobalPort will aim to bounce back versus the Columbian Dyip on Friday, June 22, 4:30 PM still at the Big Dome.
The Scores:
Phoenix (135) – Phelps 37, Wright 24, Perkins 13, Jazul 11, Revilla 9, Intal 9, Gamboa 9, Kramer 6, Wilson 6, Dehesa 4, Guevarra 3, Mendoza 2, Chua 2.
GlobalPort (108) – White 24, Anthony 15, Pringle 14, Javelona 10, Elorde 9, Grey 9, Guinto 8, Arana 7, Tautuaa 6, Gabayni 3, Flores 2, Nabong 1, Bulawan 0.
Quarterscores: 41-22; 70-51; 107-77; 135-108.
