Phoenix Super LPG prolonged the agony of Blackwater, 111-106, in the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup, Friday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Fuel Masters jumped to an early lead but still needed to fend off the Bossing late in the game behind timely hits from Javee Mocon, Ricci Rivero, and Jason Perkins, eventually dragging the opposition to their third successive defeat.
Coach Jamike Jarin’s wards, for their part, have now won their second in a row to improve to 3-1 in the team standings, seizing solo second.
“The culture that we’re building here is we’d like to be a family-oriented group,” Jarin, beaming with pride at how Phoenix performed as a whole.
Perkins led the way with 23 points and eight rebounds. He scored 12 in the fourth quarter alone, including the bucket of fa drive to push their lead to 109-101 with 38 seconds left to play to finish off their foes.
Johnathan Williams was just two assists away from a triple-double as he finished with 21 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, along with two steals.
RJ Jazul made 19 points on a perfect 5-of-5 clip from the clip, including 4-o-f4 from deep. Rivero had 14, while Mocon and Tyler Tio added 13 and 10 points, respectively as six players registered double figures in the win.
Phoenix will look to make it three straight against the hungry Dyip on November 29, Wednesday, 4 p.m. also at the Big Dome. The latter is coming off a 40-point annihilation at the hands of TNT and wants no less than a bounce-back.
Negated by the loss, on the other hand, was the PBA career-high outing of Chris Ortiz with 35 points, on top of 13 rebounds, and seven assists for Blackwater.
Ortiz scored nine in the final period alone as he tried to will the Bossing back after being down by as much as 13, but Rivero and Mocon were quick to respond for Phoenix to make sure that they wouldn’t get any closer.
Second overall pick Christian David and RK Ilagan had 12 points apiece. Rey Suerte made 11 points while Ato Ular added 10 in the loss.
The road will get even tougher for Blackwater moving forward as it takes on Ginebra next on Sunday, November 26, 6:15 p.m. at the Philsports Arena.
The Scores:
Phoenix Super LPG 111 – Perkins 23, Williams 21, Jazul 19, Rivero 14, Mocon 13, Tio 10, Manganti 3, Tuffin 3, Alejandro 3, Daves 2, Verano 0, Lalata 0.
Blackwater 106 – Ortiz 35, Ilagan 12, David 12, Suerte 11, Ular 10, Banal 8, Rosario 7, Ayonayon 6, DiGregorio 2, Casio 2, Guinto 1, McCarthy 0, Escoto 0, Hill 0.
Quarterscores: 31-22, 52-49, 77-76, 111-106.
