MANILA – Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters tainted Blackwater Elite’s erstwhile unbeaten slate in the 2019 Honda PBA Commissioner’s Cup with a 103-98 victory last night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Matthew Wright top-scored with 22 points. Robert Dozier had double-double 18 points and 16 rebounds while Rafael Joey Jazul and Jason Perkins added 17 and 16, respectively.
Both teams had their runs in the first half with the Fuel Masters slightly up at 29-26 before the Elite contradicted with its own rally for a 35-30 edge. But another Phoenix run knotted the score at 41-all.
Phoenix got a strong start in the third for a 54-46 edge. Blackwater, however, rallied to within 56-57 before the Fuel Masters pulled away anew at 80-69 on three pointers from Wright and Jazul.
The Fuel Masters went on to build its largest lead at 91-74 on triples from Alex Mallari.
The Elite rallied to as close as 98-100. But free throws from Wright upped Phoenix’s edge to 103-98.
For the Elite which dropped to 3-1, Bobby Ray Parks Jr. tallied 25 points and eight rebounds while Alex Stepheson had double-double 24 points and 18 boards.
In the second game, Meralco Bolts recovered from a slow start to score a come-from-behind 91-84 victory over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to get back on the winning track.
After being down by as much as eight points, the Bolts turned things around in the third period behind Ilonggo Antonio Jose Caram and Chris Newsome to take an 81-71 advantage.
The Bolts were still on top by 10 in the fourth period when the Painters went on consecutive triples to come to within 84-87.
A basket by Bolts’ Nicholas Salva and two free throws by Gani Lawal put the match from within reach.
Lawal finished with double-double 19 points and 12 rebounds, while Caram and Newsome had 17 and 16 markers, for the Bolts (2-2).
Denzel Bowles had 31 points and 13 boards for the Painters (0-1)./PN
