PHOENIX got the job done against a Rain or Shine five that was forced to play all-Filipino anew yesterday.
Bolstered by a fast start and a sustained effort, the Fuel Masters humbled the Elasto Painters 114-106 for their third straight win in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Veteran guard RR Garcia showed the way for Phoenix with 17 points, to go with six rebounds and two assists, while Encho Serrano backed him up with 17 markers and three boards.
Jason Perkins also had 16 points and five rebounds while import Du’vaughn Maxwell wound up with all-around numbers of 15 points, 13 caroms, four dimes, five steals and five blocks as the Fuel Masters scored a fitting follow up to a 106-103 decision over Converge four days ago and rose to 4-5. Tyler Tio also finished with 14 markers for Phoenix.
Rain or Shine, whose supposed new reinforcement Jordan Tolbert exceeded the pro league’s height limit of 6-foot-6 after he was measured at 6-foot-6 1/8, failed to rebound from a 99-110 loss to NLEX last Saturday and fell to 2-7.
Fuel Masters coach Jamike Jarin gave credit to Painters counterpart Yeng Guiao for giving his charges fits.
“First, I’d like to give some kudos to coach Yeng Guiao and his coaching staff and players.
They were at a disadvantage going into this game. We were up big, but you could see the heart in them because of their coach,” Jarin said. “So, you have to give credit to the coaching staff and players of Rain or Shine.
“We knew they were going to play a physical game. That’s their trademark. We just had to play our game. Unfortunately, there were instances that we lost our cool but this team’s maturing already. We took it and we just kept on playing,” he added.
Phoenix zoomed to a 50-27 bubble on an RJ Jazul layup at the 6:17 mark of the second quarter and enjoyed a 67-46 spread at the half.
The Fuel Masters enjoyed an 89-76 edge going into the payoff period before fending off a last-ditch comeback bid by Rain or Shine.
A Nick Demusis three-pointer and a Rey Nambatac basket pulled Rain or Shine to within 106-110 but that proved to be too little, too late, only 39.0 ticks left.
Leonard Santillan carried the fight for the Painters with 14 points and four rebounds, while Norbert Torres had 14 markers.
