PHOENIX forward Jason Perkins powered the Fuel Masters to a big win in the quarterfinals against the Meralco Bolts two nights ago in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
While the job does not get any easier for him when Phoenix takes on elimination pacesetter Magnolia and its formidable frontline led by import Tyler Bey and do-it-all forward Calvin Abueva in a best-of-5 semifinals series beginning tomorrow at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Perkins is unfazed.
“I haven’t thought about him (Bey) yet, but I’m not intimidated, I’m sure he puts his pants on the same way I do,” Perkins said. “I’m looking forward to playing Calvin. . . He was making fun of me in the last game so I’m definitely going to hit him one time, that’s all I know for sure right now.
“He made fun of my weight… I’m just kidding,” he added in jest.
Perkins spoke after the Fuel Masters pulled off an 88-84 victory over the Bolts in their knockout match for the last semis slot in the season-opening meet.
The 6-foot-4 former Rookie of the Year out of La Salle was one of the heroes in Phoenix’s triumph after winding up with a double-double of 19 points and 13 rebounds, on top of two assists.
The wards of coach Jamike Jarin nearly squandered their twice-to-beat advantage as the No. 4 squad in the eliminations when they dropped a painful 107-116 triple overtime loss to fifth-ranked Meralco in the first game of their Last Eight clash last Wednesday.
Perkins, 31, and Abueva were former teammates at Phoenix for three seasons and were members of the team that reached the semis of the Philippine Cup bubble in Clark in 2020 where they fell to the TNT Tropang Giga in five games.
The Fuel Masters traded Abueva to the Hotshots for Chris Banchero and two draft picks in 2021, ending Perkins and Abueva’s partnership on the hardwood–but not their friendship off the court.
“Calvin’s a friend of mine,” Perkins said. “I look forward to playing Calvin.”
Bey, who is a key cog in Magnolia’s impressive bid, will be a marked man, according to Perkins.
“With Tyler Bey, he’s a good player. We haven’t discussed anything yet, we don’t know the matchups, we don’t know what we’re going to do but coach Jamike’s a defensive savant,” Perkins said.
“He (Jarin) comes up with a lot of crazy defenses so even me, I don’t know what to expect until he starts game planning.”
Perkins and Phoenix are not lacking in motivation in the Final Four–a first semis stint in four years, a duel with Abueva, and a chance to put more food on the table.
