Fuel Masters seek decider vs Hotshots

MANILA, Philippines -- Coming off a big comeback win,  Phoenix will try and force a do-or-die Game 5 semifinals in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup against Magnolia.

The Hotshots and the Fuel Masters will play a crucial Game 4 on Wednesday night, with the former holding a 2-1 series lead.

The Hotshots will try to punch the last ticket to the PBA Finals in Game 4, while the Fuel Masters will try to extend the series to a winner-take-all Game 5.

The Game 3 win of the Fuel Masters was massive, as they had to claw back from 21 points down and win, 103-85.

Game 3 hero RJ Jazul said that the team simply did not want to go home.

“We don’t want to go home. [It was] do or die for us. As Coach [Jamike Jarin] said, we have practice tomorrow,” Jazul told reporters in Filipino on Sunday after the win.

“So our schedule will be wasted if we lost [in Game 3],” he added.

The Hotshots led by 21 points, 47-26, in the second quarter of the third game.

They looked primed to sweep the Fuel Masters, but the young Phoenix squad rose from the ashes and found its rhythm.

Jarin said that he reminded his wards at the half to play with fun, which led to the turnaround.

“Coming into the second half we just told ourselves we weren't having fun and we were just too tight and we were just letting Magnolia do the things that they wanted to do,” Jarin told reporters after the game.

“So we buckled down on defense and moved the ball and worked as a unit both offensively and defensively. Eventually, we caught up and executed and made some crucial baskets,” he added.

Phoenix guard RJ Jazul led the offensive onslaught that triggered the comeback, as he hit big 3-pointers in the second half.

"In the second quarter, in the timeout, I told them to just work on it. There's no such thing as a 21-point shot so the target was to get it down to around 14 or 15," Jarin said.

"Fortunately, we were able to get it and we got out of the locker room with fire in our eyes and were able to tie up the game and eventually got the lead,” he added.

Jazul said that down big, the team would just go down swinging.

“Of course, we will not give up. We were down 21 in the semis, that’s a lot. Thanks to my teammates… we got our rhythm,” the sharpshooting guard said.

Faced with another do-or-die situation, Phoenix will try to turn the series around with the biggest game of their season so far.