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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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05
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01
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
05
01
2024
Phoenix snapped out of its doldrums in grand style Wednesday by completing a 114-99 drubbing of Mahindra in the Oppo-PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Kevin Pinkney, RR Garcia and Willy Wilson all scored in the 20s while JC Intal and Mick Pennisi also did their part as Phoenix arrested its three-game slide and improved to 2-3 overall to get out of the cellar and vault into a tie for seventh.
“I am happy the players were ready to come out in today’s ballgame,” said Fuelmasters coach Koy Banal, who presided over a team meeting aimed at restoring order in their ranks last Sunday.
“I am glad everybody responded,” added Banal. “They were challenged. They saw we were at the cellar and they’re all challenged about it.”
The next immediate objective, related Banal, is to even up the team record, which could be realized should Phoenix notch a second straight win after a game against Star on Saturday.
“Our goal is to make it at .500 after Saturday’s game,” said Banal. “We hope we can duplicate the same feat on Saturday.”
Augustus Gilchrist finished with 21 points and a game-best 12 rebounds while Nino Canaleta added 18 points and Karl Dehesa came off the bench to deliver 14 markers. Yet Mahindra still dropped its second straight game for an even 3-3 slate and a tie with idle Blackwater.
Phoenix simply had more firepower this time as Pinkney finished with 23, Garcia 22 and Wilson 21, on a very efficient 10-for-13 field shooting, while adding a team-high 10 boards. Intal finished with 16 points for his third straight game in double digits.
It was his team making the necessary stops to lead by as many as 21 points thrice and complete the wire-to-wire victory that pleased Banal even more.
“It all started on the defensive end,” said Banal after his team held Mahindra to a 39-for-89 field shooting, including just 8-for-26 from beyond the arc.
In contrast, Phoenix made 42 of 80 field attempts while shooting 14-for-32 from three-point land.
The Fuelmasters also had more assists 23-14 and committed less errors 10-18 to offset a 39-55 disadvantage off the boards.
Like in an 86-104 loss to Ginebra last week Gilchrist also got into foul trouble early, committing his fifth with still 6:29 to go in the third period that forced him to sit helplessly on the bench while Phoenix stretched its lead to 92-72 heading into the final canto.
Phoenix’s three-point shooting actually tapered off in the final period, where it went 3-for-10 from deep. Garcia boomed in the first of those from way out, pegging a 105-84 count while the last was from Pinkney
before Gilchrist drained a buzzer-beater from around midcourt for the final score.
A glimpse of what would ultimately come was had as early as the first half.
After making 15 of 23 field goal tries in the opening quarter Phoenix continued pouring it on in the first five minutes of the second through a 13-4 run to stretch its lead to 48-27.
Mahindra would not so easily wilt, however, with Canaleta and LA Revilla leading a fightback that brought the Enforcers within 47-59 before Wilson struck with a 10-foot jumper to make it a 14-point game at the break.
Garcia already had 13 points after the first 24 minutes of play with Pennisi adding 10 in leading the Fuelmasters’ 24-18 points off the bench.
Canaleta, meanwhile, scattered 11 in the first half with Gilchrist adding 10 to go with 11 rebounds.
A big downer for the Enforcers was Ramos picking up three early fouls before sitting out the majority of the second period after being whistled for his fourth still 9:30 left before intermission.
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