PBA: Phoenix fends off Terrafirma for second win

Phoenix nearly wasted a big lead but held off a late Terrafirma rally on the way to a 122-108 victory in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday at the PhilSports Arena.

The Fuel Masters saw their 16-point advantage in the third quarter slowly overcome by the Dyip, but composure prevailed in the endgame as they captured only their second win for a 2-5 win-loss card.

Lowly Terrafirma, meanwhile, it fell to a 0-8 record.

Import Donovan Smith led the way for Phoenix, dropping 37 points alongside seven rebounds, five blocks, and three assists while Jason Perkins, who made key baskets in the fourth quarter, finished with 16 markets on perfect 6-of-6 shooting percentage.

Perkins also tallied two boards, two dimes, and one block to help the cause.

“The reason we won is the guy in my left (Smith). Liked what we talked about during the break and before the game, we really needed to get it together,” Phoenix head coach Jamike Jarin said.

“We were really disappointed in the first and third quarter because we gave up a lot of points. But it’s still a learning progress for everyone.”

Phoenix shrugged off a slow start and hammered down 31 points in the second quarter while limiting Terrafirma to just 13.

They even established a 67-51 cushion in the third period thanks to steady shooting from Tyler Tio and Perkins.

But the Dyip got their act together with Mark Nonoy and Louie Sangalang fueling a run that saw them trail by just eight at 108-100.

A Sangalang dunk off a Brandon Walton-Edwards assist made it a 112-102 affair in the final 2:33, but Phoenix proved calmer in the waning moments with Kai Ballungay completing a three-point play, 115-102.

Pao Hernandez and Kemark Carino answered with a triple each, but a Smith jumper and an RR Garcia basket sealed it for the Fuel Masters.

Walton-Edwards led the charge with a double-double of 25 points and 10 rebounds together with three assists, two blocks, and one steal while Sangalang posted 22 markers, six boards, two dimes.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News