F Masters defuse Hotshots

Game today (Batangas City)

5 p.m. – TNT KaTropa vs San Miguel

MANILA, Philippines - The Phoenix Fuel Masters blew a huge 20-point lead but recovered in time as they fended off the Star Hotshots, 106-93, to close in on the playoff phase of the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Eugene Phelps scored 15 of his 45 points in the payoff period while Cyrus Baguio and Simon Enciso knocked down clutch baskets as the Fuel Masters sustained their romp, hitting the .500 mark at 4-4 (win-loss) entering the homestretch of the one-round-robin eliminations.

 “By my estimate, one more win and we would get a playoff berth. Hopefully, we’ll be able to achieve that,” said coach Ariel Vanguardia whose Fuel Masters will be up against the Blackwater Elite, the Alaska Milk Aces and the Barangay Ginebra Kings in their last three games.

The Fuel Masters inched closer to a first playoff appearance for the new PBA franchise as they nailed a fourth win in their last five games.

Regrouping at crunch time after squandering their 77-57 bulge, the Fuel Masters sent the Hotshots reeling to their worst slump (five straight losses) in a tourney in 11 years.

At 1-7, Star is now in danger of missing the playoffs for the first time in 16 conferences. 

“We have a high respect for Star. They’re a grand slam team. Even as we’re up by 20 I was scared, knowing they’re capable of coming back,” said Vanguardia.

“They did with coach Jason (Webb) having his brilliant move of playing small. We’re not ready for that,” Vanguardia added. “But in the fourth, our guys buckled down to work again, made the stops and hit big shots at the finish.”

Enciso banged in a three-pointer off a kick-out pass by Phelps, touching off Phoenix’s lethal 14-5 closing run.

Rain or Shine snapped a two-game losing skein and stayed on equal footing with Phoenix at sixth place as the E-Painters ripped the injury-hit Mahindra Enforcers, 103-88, later in the night.

The Enforcers went down to fourth place at 6-3, suffering a crucial defeat sans top gun KG Canaleta who underwent appendectomy Thursday. 

From their 20-point deficit, the Hotshots made an amazing comeback on a 19-to-nothing roll that pulled them to within, 76-77, at the start of the fourth period.

Curiously, the Hotshots made their stirring run behind a small, quick lineup composed of Joel Wright, Allein Maliksi, Alex Mallari, Mark Barroca and Justin Melton.

But the Fuel Masters eventually figured a way to handle Webb’s small crew, going to Phelps and Baguio who combined for 23 points in the final canto.

Phelps finished with 45 points and 17 rebounds as against Wright’s 29 markers and 11 boards. Willy Wilson, Enciso and Baguio contributed at least 11 points each. 

NOTES: James Yap, with a three-point conversion, is now one trey away from becoming only the league’s sixth player to have made at least 1,000 triples. The all-time leading three-point shooters are Allan Caidic (1,242), Jimmy Alapag (1,224), Ronnie Magsanoc (1,171), Dondon Hontiveros (1,117) and Al Solis (1,000). Right next to Yap are Mick Pennisi (940) and Ronald Tubid (823).

The scores:

First Game

PHOENIX 106 – Phelps 45, Wilson W. 13, Baguio 11, Buenafe 11, Lee 8, Cruz 6, Lanete 4, Enciso 3, Urbiztondo 3, Miranda 2, Borboran 0, Caperal 0, Torres 0, Wilson J. 0.

STAR 93 – Wright 29, Barroca 12, Simon 11, Sangalang 8, Garcia 7, Yap 7, Maliksi 5, Brondial 4, Mallari 4, Melton 2, Pascual 2, Pingris 2, Reavis 0.

Quarterscorers: 32-19, 56-47, 77-72, 106-93

Second Game

RAIN OR SHINE 103 – Almazan 14, Belga 13, Cruz 12, Lee 12, Chan 10, Forte 10, Norwood 7, Quiñahan 7, Ahanmisi 6, Trollano 5, Ponferada 4, Matias 3.

MAHINDRA 88 – Ramos 17, White 16, Guinto 12, Yee 12, Revilla 8, Taha 6, Agovida 5, Digregorio 5, Aguilar 4, Bagatsing 2, Ballesteros 1, Elorde 0, Jaime 0, Pacquiao 0, Webb 0.

Quarterscores: 20-15, 46-44, 68-63, 103-88