Phoenix experimented in the end game which proved to be its doom, falling to Hong Kong Eastern Long Lions, 92-88, in a tune-up match Friday at Upper Deck Gym in Pasig.
Still, it was a fruitful outing for the Fuel Masters as coach Ariel Vanguardia got a view of how his team looked like on the court.
“We were able to try our double teaming schemes, but it opened up some of their shooters,” he said.
It was the second defeat for Phoenix in its preseason buildup after a sorry loss to Rain or Shine last Wednesday.
While Vanguardia appreciates the lessons his team gets from these games, he is still looking for a win this off-season buildup.
Willy Wilson paced the Fuel Masters with 13 points, while JC Intal got 10 markers.
Rookie Gelo Alolino finished with nine points, and Matthew Wright also added six in the defeat.
Tyler Lamb made his presence felt for the ABL squad, finishing with 24 points as the Long Lions nailed crucial shots in the end game to snatch the victory.