PBA: Wright scores marginal layup unmolested as Phoenix wins back-to-back

Phoenix swingman Matthew Wright goes for a shot during a game against TNT in the PBA Governors’ Cup. PBA IMAGES

Forced to work harder on both ends with the departure of the team’s best two-way guard, Matthew Wright on Sunday came up with the plays that mattered in the stretch for Phoenix, which rallied from a 12-point first-half deficit before pulling out a win in the literal final seconds against TNT in the PBA Governors’ Cup eliminations.

Wright stole off Jayson Castro and then hit the marginal layup with 1.3 ticks left that lifted the Fuel Masters to a 93-92 victory over the Tropang Giga at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao where Phoenix now has a winning streak going and TNT one of the losing kind.

But coach Topex Robinson was quick to give credit to everyone as his team did not show signs of rust despite the stoppage of play because of COVID-19.

“It’s always going to be about everybody helping each other out,” said Robinson. “Guys might struggle, but whoever has a chance to contribute in any way they can, especially defensively, that’s really much appreciated in this team.”

Meralco remained perfect and took a share of the early lead after holding off Barangay Ginebra, 101-95, in the nightcap.

Tony Bishop scored 30 points, had 13 rebounds and seven assists and Allein Maliksi and Aaron Black scored critical baskets in the stretch as the Bolts rose to 4-0 to climb into a tie for the lead with idle Magnolia.

The loss was the second in five games for the Gin Kings, who took an 89-87 lead entering the final five minutes but lost steam in the face of the Bolts’ furious finish.

Justin Brownlee led Ginebra with 27 points, 14 rebounds and seven assists.

The Fuel Masters lost Chris Banchero to unrestricted free agency before the restart, and Wright has shown the ability to plug the hole, dishing off 10 assists and having three steals that went with a team-high 27 points.

Phoenix was also without the injured Paul Harris, whose spot on the team was given to Dominique Sutton. He finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.

It was the fourth win in six games for the Fuel Masters, who dealt the Fiba window-preparing Tropang Giga a second straight loss in a 2-4 slate that put TNT out of the playoff picture at the moment.

TNT played without injured stars Poy Erram (back) and RR Pogoy (calf).

Jason Perkins preserved the lead for the Fuel Masters after breaking up TNT’s potential game-winning play, denying a neat, inbound alley-oop play for Troy Rosario.

Mikey’s effort to naught

TNT guard Mikey Williams. PBA IMAGES

The Fuel Masters were in control for pretty much most of the night, until Mikey Williams, the Tropang Giga’s ace rookie, got going in the fourth.

The crafty guard scored 13 of his 22 points in the final frame, building on Gab Banal’s deadly long-distance shooting while greasing TNT’s comeback try.

Banal wound up with 18 points and import Aaron Fuller 23 rebounds that went with 11 points in a losing cause for the Tropang Giga, who came into the game still licking the wounds of a similarly painful 96-93 loss at the hands of league-leading Magnolia last Friday.

“I guess we just stayed on the course. We focused on the things that we need to focus on and we just played our hearts out and played against, again, a strong team,” Robinson said of the enemy.

There will be no break for the weary, with the Tropang Giga set to take powerhouses San Miguel Beer and defending champion Barangay Ginebra this week.

Phoenix, meanwhile, will face an acid test on Saturday when it battles the Hotshots also at the Big Dome. INQ