PBA: Phoenix torches TNT for third win

Phoenix lit up and torched TNT, 112-82, to bounce back in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Fuel Masters were unrelenting both in their offense and defense and stifled the KaTropa with a 26-0 run to go up 61-23 on RJ Jazul’s three-point shot with 2:33 left in the second quarter.

During that run, TNT was held scoreless for almost seven minutes.

With the win, the Fuel Masters improved to 3-1 to tie NLEX for the fourth spot while the KaTropa reeled to seventh with a 1-4 record.

Phoenix head coach said their massive 30-point win was a huge recovery game after their 108-97 loss to Alaska in their previous outing in the conference.

“This was a big bounce game for us because my starting five played heavy minutes in our last game and we just had one day of rest,” said Alas in Filipino. “I told them that I know they’re fatigued and the only thing I can help them with is manage their playing time but they can’t use being tired as an excuse.”

“True enough they told me ‘coach we will play hard as long as we can, and until you play us,’ so everything they did in this game already compensated for the mistakes we had against Alaska.”

Jason Perkins put up 22 points for the Fuel Masters while Matthew Wright added 16 points, five rebounds, and six assists.

Eugene Phelps, who was averaging 35.67 points per game prior to facing TNT, finished with just 15 points and 11 rebounds.

Alfrancis Tamsi had a team-high 14 points for the KaTropa who played without Terrence Romeo who was feeling under the weather.

Phoenix had TNT cornered in every possible way including a glaring 74-49 rebounding advantage and a 32-15 assist disparity.

The Fuel Masters shot 42-of-89 from the field for a respectable 47.2 percent clip while holding TNT to a 29-of-91 conversion rate.