‘Gut-feel’ sub adds fuel to Phoenix streak

Phoenix guard Encho Serrano takes a jumper against Rain or Shine. PBA IMAGES

Phoenix rookie Encho Serrano may have to look more often at coach Topex Robinson whenever he’s on the bench.

“Now I know,” Serrano said when he heard why Robinson decided to put him back during the latter stages of the Fuel Masters’ 92-83 win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday.

Robinson’s decision to field Serrano in place of Javee Mocon with 2:34 seemed like a calculated stroke of genius as the gutsy guard helped Phoenix preserve the win after Rain or Shine had cut an 18-point deficit to five.

What it really was, Robinson later said, was a “gut feeling,” something that was stirred by eye contact with Serrano.

“I told myself that if I look at the bench for the third time and he still looks at me, then I will put him out there on the floor. That means he’s ready,” Robinson said at Ynares Center here.

Serrano turned that five-point lead into an 86-78 spread with a corner three then nearly made his coach regret his decision to sub him in by committing a deliberate foul on Steve Taylor Jr. Taylor made two free throws and Gian Mamuyac drained a triple in the bonus possession to move Rain or Shine within three.

But he won back his coach’s trust when he tossed in a tough layup that made it a five-point game for Phoenix, 1:34 to go.

The win was the fourth straight for Phoenix, which continued to rise after a 0-3 start.

And Serrano—with his acrobatic offense, pesky defense—has averaged 16.3 points, 3.0 rebounds and 3.3 assists during the Fuel Masters’ streak.

Eye contact aside, Serrano, the terrific second round steal of this year’s draft, now understands how to give Robinson reasons to field him, especially now the Fuel Masters have become the hottest team in the midseason conference.

“Pag ipapasok niya na ako, naka-ready na ako (I have to be ready every time he decides to put me in),” said Serrano, whose performance resulted in a career-high 18 points.

Import Kaleb Wesson had 21 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks for Phoenix, despite having to miss a good part of the fourth due to foul trouble that enabled Rain or Shine to make a run.

Rain or Shine dropped to 3-4 (win-loss) after a defeat that left coach Yeng Guiao to ponder on the performance of his import Taylor who finished with 16 points and 19 rebounds.

“I think we have to determine our course of action,” said Guiao. “But of course, we will talk to him before our Saturday game [against Magnolia]. We’ll see what happens after that.”

In the second game, San Miguel Beer pummeled NorthPort, 104-86, behind import Devon Scott’s 25 points and 16 rebounds.

The Beermen got back up to 3-3 following its first back-to-back wins in the conference.

San Miguel Beer, which has cycled through three imports this conference and played minus injured stars June Mar Fajardo and Terrence Romeo, was also without Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter in Wednesday’s win.