MANILA – Bay Area Dragons clawed back from a double-digit deficit for a 101-91 triumph over Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters in the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup over the weekend at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Myles Powell tallied double-double 32 points and 10 rebounds to go with four steals and two assists as the Dragons surged to solo first place in the standings with 3-0 win-loss slate.
Hayden Blankley added 15 markers and six rebounds, Duncan Reid had double-double 14 points and 10 rebounds, while Glen Yang chipped in 14 markers for the guest team Bay Area.
After being down by as much as 14 points midway in the second quarter, the Dragons turned things around with a scoring burst from Powell and Blankley to take a 42-41 lead at the half.
It was all Bay Area since then with Yang and Reid also contributing on offense as the lead reached its largest at 19 points in the second half before the Fuel Masters made a late run to cut it to 10.
Javee Mocon top-scored with 22 points, while Tyler Tio added 21 markers, Kaleb Wesson had double-double 17 points and 18 rebounds as the Fuel Masters remained winless in three games.
Meanwhile, Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots turned things around in the fourth quarter for a 109-105 victory over Converge FiberXers for a 2-0 start in the midseason conference.
Down 74-87 early in the fourth, the Hotshots went on a 13-0 scoring blast behind triples by Paul Lee and Aris Dionisio and conversions from Jiovani Jalalon, Andy Mark Barroca and Nick Rakocevic for a 92-90 lead.
Connections by Jalalon, Rakocevic and Dionisio gave the Hotshots a 105-96 lead but the FiberXers responded with hits from Aljun Melecio, Maverick Ahanmisi and RK Ilagan to cut it to 105-107 but two free throws by Calvin Abueva sealed the win for Magnolia.
Rakocevic tallied double-double 21 points and 24 rebounds, Lee added 20 markers, Barroca and Jalalon chipped in 19 and 15 markers, respectively, while Abueva and Ian Sangalang contributed 10 points apiece off the bench for the Hotshots.
BOX SCORE:
BAY AREA 101 – Powell 32, Blankley 15, Yang 14, Reid 14, Zhu 8, Liu 8, Lam 6, Liang 4, Ju 0, Zheng 0.
PHOENIX 91 – Mocon 22, Tio 21, Wesson 17, Jazul 10, Anthony 8, Lojera 6, Robles 4, Serrano 3, Adamos 0, Pascual 0, Garcia 0, Muyang 0, Rios 0, Lalata 0, Camacho 0.
Quarterscores: 16-29, 42-41, 74-61, 101-91./PN
