UNBEATEN no more.
Phoenix rose to the occasion down the stretch, handing erstwhile unbeaten Mahindra its first setback while scoring its second straight win, 100-94, in the 2016 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Frida night.
Cyrus Baguio had his best game for Phoenix, scoring 22 points to help his squad to victory.
The Fuel Masters ended the tight game with a decisive 11-4 run in the final two and a half minutes to take the game away.
As a result, Phoenix improved to 2-3, while the Enforcers saw their winning streak snapped at four games as they slipped to 4-1, still good for second place.
Phoenix rallied all the way from 20 points down early the second period.
It persevered bit by bit before eventually having the last laugh when it mattered in the payoff period.
The Enforcers started creating distance after finishing the first quarter strong with a 15-5 run that gave them a double-digit lead right away, 24-13, entering the second frame.
That was just the beginning of the league-leader’s assault as Mahindra followed up with a 10-0 blast early in the second period to break the game wide open after it took a gigantic 20-point cushion, 34-14, on a completed three-point play from Paolo Taha at the 9:17 mark.
However, Phoenix wasn’t just about to roll over and die as it woke up in a snap, orchestrating a 30-11 surge to end the first half and dig itself out of trouble, trimming its lead to just a single point, 44-45, at the half, making it anyone’s game heading the final 24 minutes of play.
Meanwhile, action continues today as scorching TNT Katropa (4-0) aims for the solo leadership when it takes on skidding Blackwater (1-3) at 3 p.m. in the initial game also at the Big Dome.
In the main event, a colossal battle between surprisingly inconsistent teams Rain or Shine (2-2) and Alaska (1-3) takes place at 5:15 p.m. to cap the Saturday slugfest.
The scores:
PHOENIX 100—Phelps 23, Baguio 22, Borboran 13, Lee 13, Cruz 6, Caperal 5, Lanete 5, Torres 4, Buenafe 3, Enciso 3, Wilson J. 2, Wilson W. 1, Pennisi 0.
MAHINDRA 94—White 24, Ramos 18, Taha 13, Canaleta 10, Digregorio 7, Agovida 6, Jaime 4, Yee 4, Aguilar 2, Guinto 2, Pinto 2, Webb 2, Zandi 0, Elorde 0.
Quarters: 13-24, 44-45, 68-71, 100-94