RJ Jazul pulled off one heck of an explosion. PBA Images |
MANILA--Even during his college days at Letran, RJ Jazul is not really known for his scoring.
But on Thursday night, the Phoenix point guard put up an offensive barrage to remember.
Jazul achieved his first career 30-point game as the Fuel Masters stopped the San Miguel Beermen's hot streak in the PBA bubble with a 110-103 win at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center.
In exact figures, Jazul finished with 33 points on 9-of-16 shooting from beyond the arc, but none was more important than his last triple with only 13 seconds left that finally shut the door on SMB's chance to at least sneak closer into Phoenix's lead.
Jazul also had two assists and two steals for the Fuel Masters, who climbed to solo third place at 6-3, a half-game behind joint leaders Barangay Ginebra and TNT Tropang Giga, who will face off on Friday night for solo leadership.
Jason Perkins provided the early spark for Phoenix with 27 points, 19 in the first half, on 5-of-7 shooting from three-point range alongside 10 rebounds and three assists.
In total, the team converted 22 triples, the most in the club's young history and the most for the bubble season.
Matt Wright, the PBA's leading scorer so far this season, played more of a facilitator this time, but he still got a double-double of his own with 10 markers and 10 dimes alongside seven boards and one steal.
Justin Chua also put up a career-high, grabbing 17 rebounds on top of seven points, four assists, one block, and one steal.
Mo Tautuaa put up 21 points, five rebounds, and five assists for SMB, but foul trouble slowed him down in the second half, where Phoenix held SMB to only 18 third quarter points before dropping 35 in the fourth.
Alex Cabagnot and Marcio Lassiter each tallied 20 markers for the Beermen, who saw their four-game winning run come to an end and fell to a tie with the Meralco Bolts, 85-78 winners over the Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters earlier Thursday, for fourth place at 5-3.
Box Scores:
Phoenix 110-Jazul 33, Perkins 27, Garcia 11, Wright 10, Abueva 7, Chua 7, Mallari 7, Marcelo 3, Rios 3, Intal 2, Heruela 0, Reyes 0
San Miguel 103-Tautuaa 21, Cabagnot 20, Lassiter 20, Pessumal 10, Ross 6, Escoto 6, Gamalinda 5, Mamaril 2, Zamar 2, Alolino 0
Quarterscores: 29-22, 52-53, 75-71, 110-103