[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Phoenix upsets shorthanded Ginebra, 79-73, in PBA PH Cup’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
By ADRIAN STEWART CO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_image src=’http://www.panaynews.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/sports-Phoenix.jpg’ attachment=’94022′ attachment_size=’full’ align=’center’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=’yes’ font_size=’12’ appearance=’on-hover’ overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’]
Phoenix Fuel Masters rookie Matthew Wright (35) surges against Jayjay Helterbrand (13) of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings during their 2016-2017 Oppo PBA Philippine Cup match on Sunday.PBA
[/av_image]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
MANILA – The Phoenix Fuel Masters leaned on its hot outside shooting to turn back a shorthanded Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, 79-73, in the 2016-2017 Oppo PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Rookie Matthew Wright led the way with 18 points, on a three-of-six shooting from the outside, for the Fuel Masters, which moved up to solo second place in the standings with a 6-4 win-loss slate.
JC Intal chipped in double-double 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Simon Enciso and William Wilson added 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Fuel Masters, which moved closer to bagging a twice-to-beat edge in the quarterfinals round.
The Fuel Masters opened the match with a 17-8 lead behind conversions by Intal, Wilson and Chico Lañete. The Kings, however, cut the deficit to seven points behind Joe Devance.
The Kings inched even closer early in the second frame on back-to-back hits by Mark Caguioa but the Fuel Masters responded with three point baskets from Enciso for a 38-26 lead at halftime.
The Kings tried to cut the deficit anew early in the second half but consecutive baskets by Wright allowed the Fuel Masters to build a 48-37 lead. The Kings then answered quickly to come to within six markers.
Ginebra hanged on in the final frame until the Fuel Masters went on a finishing run behind Enciso, Wilson and Intal for a 79-69 advantage on a triple by Wright and just over a minute left in the game.
“It’s not our type of game, but we proved to ourselves we can defend,” said Fuel Masters head coach Ariel Vanguardia. “You cannot out-coach him (Kings head coach Tim Cone), but I told the guys you got to help me outwork them.”
Caguioa and LA Tenorio top-scored with 15 points each, while Earl Scottie Thompson and Dave Marcelo had 10 markers each for the Kings, which played without injured centers Japeth Aguilar and Gregory Slaughter./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
