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| Eugene Phelps once again held the scoring cudgels as Phoenix gets solo second with the win over Magnolia. PBA Media Bureau. |
By Ricky Manliguis
MANILA-- Phoenix is on a roll.
Eugene Phelps and the rest of the Fuel Masters chalked up its third successive triumph as it fashioned out a convincing 95-82 win over Magnolia Hotshots in the curtain raiser of PBA Governors' Cup Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Pouncing on the horrible shooting night of the Pambansang Manok, the boys of Coach Louie Alas improved to a 5-1 win-loss slate.
Magnolia suffered its first loss after a 2-0 start.
Phoenix actually had a dream start with a 30-19 first quarter edge, before the Pambansang Manok went back in the second for a 48-all deadlock entering the dugout.
But the Fuel Masters got its bearings back in the second half with an 87-75 lead punctuated by a Phelps' slam on the 3:33 mark of the fourth quarter.
Magnolia failed to recover from there.
Phelps finished with monster numbers of 36 points on 11-of-21 shooting with 20 rebounds and four blocks.
Matthew Wright backed up with 13 markers, while Justine Chua chipped in 12 with eight rebounds and three rejections.
"Sabi ko. 'Show your maturity.' Iyun naman naging sagot nila sa third quarter. Best quarter namin sa game third quarter," said Alas after the match.
“For me, one of the best ang Magnolia especially sa defense. We were able to put a clamp on their offensive guys especially in the third quarter,” he lated added.
Romeo Travis issued 28 points and 19 boards for Magnolia, which also got 11 each from Marc Barroca, Ian Sangalang, and Jio Jalalon.
The scores:
Phoenix 95 - Phelps 36, Wright 13, Chua 12, Abueva 9, Revilla 9, Jazul 9, Perkins 7, Intal 0, Wilson 0.
Magnolia 82 - Travis 28, Barroca 11, Sangalang 11, Jalalon 11, Lee 8, Ramos 6, Dela Rosa 3, Melton 2, Gamalinda 2, Pascual 0, Reavis 0, Brondial 0, Herndon 0.
Quarters: 30-19, 48-48, 71-67, 95-82.
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