Phoenix, ROS brace for battle
Phoenix Pulse sustained its unbeaten run against a tired and outclassed Blackwater squad during a week of quick changing fortunes in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup.
The Fuel Masters simply proved too good in roaring to their fourth straight win against the Elite, who absorbed a 114-95 whipping two days after dealing a first loss in three games on the favored Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
With seven men scoring in double figures, Phoenix set a season record by taking a 37-point lead at 85-48 late in the third quarter to highlight its strongest tournament start since joining the league in 2014.
Blackwater showed little of its murderous form against Rain or Shine where Mike DiGregorio exploded for 27 points and Allein Maliksi added 23. Maliksi got away with 12 against Phoenix but DiGregorio was held to only five.
Stung rather than disheartened by the upset loss to Blackwater, Rain or Shine bounced back with might and main to humble defending champion San Miguel Beer, 108-98, and debuting Alaska, 85-72, to keep its hold of second place at 4-1.
James Yap, back as top gunner for ROS with 21 points, and rookie Javee Mocon (18 points-17 rebounds) led the Painters against the four-time champion Beermen.
SMB forward Arwind Santos sat out the game with an injury, Chris Ross failed to score and the celebrated Terrence Romeo fouled out and remained winless in two games since joining the Beermen from the KaTropa.
It was the third loss and the first back-to-back setback in the eliminations of the all-Filipino tournament for the Beermen, who, at 2-3, are in the company of the NLEX Road Warriors, Meralco Bolts and Columbia Dyip.
NorthPort was in solo third at 2-1 with Ginebra fifth at 2-2.
After dealing SMB a second loss (104-93), TNT tumbled to an 88-77 decision from Meralco but recovered against Magnolia on Sunday, 80-75, to occupy fourth place at 3-3.
Phoenix gets its last easy assignment when it takes on NLEX on Feb. 8. Two days later, the Fuel Masters will be tested by the Elasto Painters. Then it will be the Alaska Aces’ turn on Feb. 27, followed by the Magnolia Hotshots on March 6, the Ginebra Gin Kings on March 10, the Beermen on March 16 and NorthPort Batang Pier on March 24.
The league will take a break after Feb. 13 to give the members of the Gilas national pool time to prepare for the last window of the Fiba World Cup qualifiers later this month.
