DU’VAUGHNN Maxwell proved Phoenix Super LPG’s trust in him was well-founded yesterday, helping power the team past Alaska 104-99 in the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Fuel Masters’ third import for the conference collected 21 points and 21 rebounds, including a basket and a foul with 20.5 seconds left that served as the dagger and stopped the Aces right on their tracks.
Maxwell failed to complete the three-point play, but RJ Jazul capped his own heroics with a charity that all but sealed the game as Phoenix snapped a three-game funk, improved to an even 5-5 record, and fanned its hopes of catching the quarterfinals bus.
“We know how important this game is for us and we also know that Alaska is on a run and we respect that team so much,” said Fuel Masters coach Topex Robinson. “Again, we played it all out and made sure that we’re focusing on what we prepared for coming to this game.”
Robinson believes he has finally found the right import after original reinforcement Paul Harris got injured and first replacement Dominique Sutton proved incapable of boosting his team.
“I think what he brought to us was solid defense on the paint,” Robinson said of Maxwell.
“He’s making smart moves down the stretch, he was making his shots. But most importantly. I think, was the energy he brings to the team. Especially on an import(-laden) conference wherein you really have to have somebody who the locals can believe in. And I think Du’vaughn is the right fit for us.”
Matthew Wright led all scorers with 26 points and also had a game-high 11 assists, while Jason Perkins shrugged off foul trouble to finish with 22 points. Jazul also had 21 points.
The defeat was a bitter pill for Alaska, which dropped to 6-4 and needs to win over Magnolia on Sunday to avoid any complication another loss might bring.
The Aces surely tried, razing an 80-92 fourth quarter deficit through a 13-0 to briefly wrest the lead 93-92, still 5:35 left.
There was no denying Phoenix, however, as Perkins boomed in a triple and then followed up Maxwell’s basket with his own putback before Jazul banked in a floater to make it a 101-97 count.
After Yousef Taha brought Alaska within 99-101, Maxwell converted a layup off a pick-and-roll play with Wright while drawing a foul from Olu Ashaolu.
“We just stuck together,” said Robinson. “We know that if we play offense with this team it’s going to be hard. So our main focus was to make stops.”
Ashaolu notched his own double-double of 24 points and 10 rebounds on top of six assists.
Robert Herndon and Mike Digregorio came off the bench to add 17 and 13 points, respectively, while Jeron Teng, Maverick Ahanmisi and Taha each chipped in at least 10 points.
