Phoenix posts No. 3; Ginebra scores

Either Phoenix has transformed into a much better version of itself or TNT played really bad.

Regardless of the situation they are into, the Fuel Masters again came out supreme on Friday after rolling past the KaTropa, 112-82, in the PBA Governors’ Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Fuel Masters, behind the stellar efforts of their local crew, needed just a powerful burst of speed in the first two quarters to leave the KaTropa by a mile and notch their third win in four games.

In the second game, Barangay Ginebra turned back Columbian Dyip, 96-84, to kick off its bid for a third straight Governors’ Cup championship.

Import Justine Brownlee and Scottie Thompson led a 12-4 Gin Kings’ run midway in the final period to break away for good and pin a fourth loss on the winless Dyip.

Jason Perkins and Matthew Wright floored the KaTropa with pivotman Justin Chua, sniper RJ Jazul and new acquisition Calvin Abueva that allowed the Fuel Masters to zoom ahead early and never look back.

With minimal effort from Eugene Phelps, the Fuel Masters embarrassed the KaTropa by 30 points right at the half before burying the perennial title contenders for good with a 41-point cushion near the end.

“I wasn’t expecting this outcome. I thought it was going to be a very close game,” said Phoenix coach Louie Alas. “If we’re tired, my players didn’t show it. We really bounced back big from that [108-97] defeat against Alaska [on Wednesday].”

It also helped the Phoenix’s cause when TNT spitfire Terrence Romeo called in sick while Stacy Davis, for the third consecutive game, still wasn’t good as advertised after another dismal output of 13 points on four of 18 shooting in almost 36 minutes.