Road Warriors, Fuel Masters out to improve standings
Barely inside the Top Eight, the NLEX Road Warriors and the Phoenix Fuel Masters face each other Friday as both try to improve their playoff chances in the PBA Governors Cup.
Both had picked up some rhythm, winning back-to-back games before losing their last outing.
The Road Warriors were stopped by the Meralco Bolts, 95-101, just last Wednesday while the Fuel Masters were torched by Michael Madanly and his TNT teammates, 117-124, Friday.
Each one looks to cling on a spot in the Top Eight as they slug it out at 7 p.m. Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
At 3-4, NLEX is half-game ahead of Phoenix (2-4) but the Road Warriors will be at a disadvantage with just a one-day preparation versus the Fuel Masters.
“We’ll try to do what we can do though it’s really hard playing back-to-back games,” said NLEX coach Boyet Fernandez.
An exciting side battle is that of Eugene Phelps and Henry Walker, two of the most prolific in the current batch of imports.
Phelps averages 41.3 and 18.3 rebounds while Walker norms 32.8 markers and 10.1 boards.
Walker engaged Allen Durham in an explosive showdown Wednesday but the Road Warriors came up short in the end.
The Bolts built a double-digit spread, 44-34, in the first half but the Road Warriors waged a chase and threatened to turn the game around in the third, 64-58.
The Road Warriors fought the Bolts in a battle to the finish with Walker pouring in 16 points in the third period and 11 in the final canto.
Walker scored on a layup as the Road Warriors tied the count at 84 entering the last three minutes of the game.
Meanwhile, Phoenix, from a 52-all halftime count, faded away as Madanly and the Texters came through with a hail of three-pointers in the third quarter.
Averaging only 9.2 three-point conversions per game, the Texters drained nine just in one quarter in this match and rattled in a total of 19 — the most by any team in this tourney this far – to keep their perfect record in six outings.
Madanly fired away three treys, Ranidel de Ocampo knocked in a pair while Kris Rosales, Ryan Reyes, Larry Fonacier and Jason Castro added one each to fuel their breakaway.
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