Wright's triple caps Phoenix's comeback win vs Magnolia

MANILA, Philippines – Phoenix Petroleum rose from the depth of a 16-point deficit then banked on Matthew Wright’s clutch three-pointer in the last 3.2 seconds to steal an 89-87 win over Magnolia in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the MOA Arena in Pasay City Sunday night.

Matthew. Wright. Clutch.

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The Fuel Masters played lackadaisically through the first three quarters before responding to the call of their coach and thus salvaging the game to catch up with the Alaska Milk Aces, the GlobalPort Batang Pier and the Meralco Bolts at 2-1.

The Hotshots blew away a big 62-46 lead in the third and an 84-75 margin in the last 5:49, and worse committed a critical technical foul in calling an excessive timeout after the three-point basket made by Wright.

Wright canned in the technical free throw, then PJ Simon missed his desperation heave from way out as the Hotshots, the all-Filipino runners-up, dropped their debut in the mid-season tourney.

“Coach was passionate in calling us out at the half and we just responded,” said Willy Wilson, among the players that keyed Phoenix’s fightback.

“We’re very flat the whole first 24 minutes and I challenged the guys in the huddle at halftime. It’s not about the X’s and O’s. I just asked them if they have pride, bring it on the floor,” said Phoenix coach Louie Alas.

“In the early part of the game, we played the same. Then I changed my substitution pattern. The tempo changed on the entry of LA Revilla. So LA was a key,” Alas added.

The Fuel Masters closed in, 67-70, on back-to-back baskets by Jeff Chan and Wilson at the start of the fourth before sailing ahead, 85-84, on a decisive 10-to-nothing attack by Jason Perkins, RJ Jazul, Wilson, Chan and import James White.

The Hotshots, however, regained the upper hand at 86-85 then made it 87-85 before Wright made the biggest basket in the game -- a step-back trey that swished through the net to wild celebration of the Phoenix bench.

Then Magnolia coach Chito Victolero made a signal with a finger pointed at the table officials. Realizing they had no more timeout left, the bench later contested that they were actually not suing for time.

It’s a sorry loss for the Hotshots who dominated most of the way on the big games of Vernon Macklin and Paul Lee.

Macklin punished the rim with thunderous jams to spike a 25-point game while Lee knocked in five three-pointers to highlight a 20-point outing.

The Fuel Masters, however, just clicked on both ends at the right time.

White, who averaged 31.5 points in their first two games, struggled for 19 markers but delivered when it mattered the most.

He scored off Macklin on a post play as the Fuel Masters moved ahead at 85-84 with 1:59 left to play.

Wight also finished with 19 markers, including two treys, while Wilson contributed 17 points and nine rebounds.