Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Basketball

Jamike stresses importance of ‘baby steps’ for Phoenix as they brace for Meralco


Phoenix Super LPG head coach Jamike Jarin wants his charges to move on and look forward to the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals after missing out on the chance to finish higher at the end of the eliminations.

The Fuel Masters on Sunday night bowed to a TNT side that’s nearing completion roster-wise.

The loss spoiled their hopes of finishing as the no. 2 seed entering the playoffs’ first round that commences this coming Wednesday.

“As soon as we forget about this game, the better for us,” he told reporters moments after their 116-96 loss at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Phoenix was the heavy favorite coming into the affair given their stature in the ongoing conference.

They were up against a Tropang Giga side in the midst of a roller-coaster ride owing to the multiple injuries of key cogs.

But the flagship MVP franchise may just be welcoming some of them back soon, with Roger Pogoy returning from myocarditis that kept him out for months.

The two-way specialist admitted that he still has some catching up to do but he was one of those who made it hard for Phoenix. He finished with 11 points on three triples, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals.

Furthermore, he was part of the TNT unit that turned the game around in the third quarter, where they erupted for 37 points.

The Tropang Giga entered the final period ahead by a decade, 88-78, after being down 53-51 at halftime.

Jarin lamented a litany of things in that harrowing third but is hoping, too, that it serves as a lesson to his men if they were to reach the semifinals.

#ReadMore  Jay Washington on 3rd stint with TNT: 'You can’t leave a team and burn a bridge'

“We played well in the first two quarters then all of a sudden, in the third quarter we just lost steam. I take full responsibility for that,” he said.

“We were missing shots, they made their shots. We’ve had some turnovers that killed us defensively, and offensive rebounds was the story of the game. So we need to work on those things if we want to get into the semifinals.”

The veteran bench tactician hopes as well that such a loss would help spur the growth of his youth-laden crew, especially now as they prepare for Meralco in the quarters in a battle between the fourth and fifth seeds after the eliminations.

Phoenix finished as the no. 4 seed as it has an inferior quotient against fellow 8-3 teams San Miguel and Ginebra, the second and third seeds, respectively.

“We’re the youngest team in the PBA. These are baby steps that we need to really get accustomed [to],” Jarin said.

“This will help us in the coming games and hopefully, we get the victory on Wednesday,” he continued. “Because Meralco is a very experienced team. So, we have to play 48 minutes of selfless basketball.”

Written By

Oftentimes on the sidelines. Forever a student of the game. Morayta-bred.




You May Also Like

Basketball

Jason Perkins and Kenneth Tuffin delivered career-best performances to lead Phoenix to a commanding 124–109 victory over Blackwater, closing out their 2025 PBA Philippine...

Basketball

Phoenix not only fought for pride in its PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup meeting versus NorthPort on Wednesday, in a meeting between eliminated sides....

Basketball

Phoenix snatched the spotlight away from Calvin Abueva by taking down NorthPort, 118-107, in a clash between eliminated teams in the PBA Season 49...

Basketball

Finally, the much-celebrated duo of Robert Bolick and Javee Mocon is starting to make beautiful music together in NLEX. High expectations surrounded the pair...

Basketball

NLEX formalized the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup quarterfinal picture by giving Phoenix the boot, 105-95, on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum. The...

Basketball

Adrian Nocum and Jhonard Clarito took turns in helping Rain or Shine finish off Phoenix, 109-99, to move closer in clinching a quarterfinal berth...

Basketball

Ginebra found its touch from beyond the arc early and shot down Phoenix, 119-112, to post back-to-back for the first time in the PBA...

Basketball

Don Trollano submitted his best showing of the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup to date as San Miguel burst the bubble of Phoenix through a...

Advertisement