Cyrus Baguio rises for Phoenix. PBA IMAGES
Phoenix rose up from a dreadful first half and snapped Mahindra’s four-game win streak in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup with a 100-94 shocker Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Mahindra had a 20-point lead, 34-14, in the first half but the Fuel Masters slowly chipped it away and proceeded to erupt in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Enforcers 32-23.
Phoenix improved to 2-3 in the standings while Mahindra dropped to a 4-1 record.
“I think I screwed up the first half,” said Fuel Masters head coach Ariel Vanguardia. “I tried to pressure the guys and told them ‘patunayan natin na pag kailangan natin ng panalo, mananalo tayo.’”
“The veterans kept us together.”
Cyrus Baguio looked infallible down the stretch for the Fuel Masters as he steered their ship when import Eugene Phelps went down with the case of leg cramps with 2:38 remaining in the fourth.
Phoenix was holding on to a 93-92 lead with less than two minutes remaining when Baguio gave them a little push hitting a jumper from the top of the key giving the Fuel Masters a 95-92 buffer with 1:14 left in the game.
Phelps had a team-high 23 points for the Fuel Masters to go along 21 boards while Baguio had 22 points.
Mark Borboran was Mr. Fourth Quarter for the Fuel Masters as he scored 11 of his total 13 points in the final frame.
James White had a game-high 24 points to lead the Enforcers.
The scores:
PHOENIX 100 – Phelps 23, Baguio 22, Borboran 13, Lee 13, Cruz 6, Caperal 5, Lanete 5, Torres 4, Buenafe 3, Enciso 3, Wilson J. 2, Wilson W. 1, Pennisi 0.
MAHINDRA 94 – White 24, Ramos 18, Taha 13, Canaleta 10, Digregorio 7, Agovida 6, Jaime 4, Yee 4, Aguilar 2, Guinto 2, Pinto 2, Webb 2, Zandi 0, Elorde 0.
Quarters: 13-24, 44-45, 68-71, 100-94