Calvin Abueva’s crucial block saves Phoenix. PBA IMAGES
Phoenix Pulse coach Louie Alas could only chuckle at the piece of trivia presented to him Friday night.
“Oh my God,” he said, when told that the last team to start 5-0 in the PBA Philippine Cup went on to win the crown. That team, of course, is reigning champion San Miguel Beer and the Fuel Masters, most especially their coach, are under no impression that they are at that same dominating level.
Phoenix notched its fifth straight win in as many games after holding off stubborn NLEX, 83-82, at Mall of Asia Arena.
Matthew Wright provided the cushion for the Fuel Masters, ushering the team to a six-point lead going into the homestretch, 83-77, before Calvin Abueva came up with a game-saving block on NLEX wing Bong Galanza with a second left on the clock.
“I knew going into this game that it will be a tough match because they have four reliable big men,” said Alas. “We’re at the phase that we’re going to begin to face the league’s elite teams,” Alas said. “We’ll begin with Rain or Shine this Sunday. Good thing, they’re going to play back-to-back games. They’re the hottest team after us.”
Rain or Shine stayed a game behind Phoenix, after James Yap and Norbert Torres combined for nine of 15 shooting from beyond the arc to rally past NorthPort, 107-100, in the second game.
Wright finished the game with 17 points, six assists and five rebounds for Phoenix. Jason Perkins chipped in 14 points and 11 rebounds while Abueva contributed 13 and 11—and a piece of his mind on Phoenix’s hot start.
“It’s not about going 5-0,” Abueva said in Filipino. “We’ve only faced teams close to our level. We’ve yet to face San Miguel or teams like Ginebra, Magnolia—the top teams. Those are games we need to win.”