Phoenix gets it Wright, pulls off comebacker over ROS

Phoenix Super LPG wrapped up the second game day at the restart of the PBA Philippine Cup with one of the craziest comebacks of the season, virtually trailing for the entire game before they pulled off a 78-77 upset over Rain or Shine last September 2 at the DHVSU gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.

Trailing by as much as seventeen at 35-52 in the opening stages of the second half, Topex Robinson's Fuel Masters were set to lose their third straight outing, but they turned it around in the final canto to snatch the victory away from the Elastopainters hands.

As always, the former dynamo on the court praised the "no surrender" mindset of his squad despite the huge deficit.

"I didn't call any timeouts in the fourth [quarter] because we just wanna let them play, and they just found ways," he said.

Jason Perkins and RR Garcia each had eighteen points for Phoenix, with the latter's contribution a boost to their second unit when they outscored ROS' reserves by eleven, 42-31. 

The win moved them up to 2-4, tied with Alaska at eighth but the Fuel Masters had the grip at the final playoff spot, thanks to their 101-93 conquest of the Aces last July 24 at Ynares-Pasig.

"We don't take this for granted. We're just glad we got back together as a family on the court," a relieved Perkins declared after the game. 

Apart from winning the bench game, Phoenix pounced on the 19 ROS turnovers and converted it into 20 points. In contrast, Rain Or Shine only had 14 points off Phoenix's 16 turnovers.

Chris Banchero pitched in 14 to make amends on Matthew Wright's atrocious game, where the sticky defense of the Painters held the former ABL champion to just four points.

Despite missing all of his fourteen shots all game long, the shooter's mentality still bore fruit, with the Gilas sniper knocking down the turnaround jumper over Gabe Norwood with 2.6 seconds remaining to break the final tie at 76-all, with the game-winner capping off a 19-2 finishing run in the final six minutes by coming from behind by fifteen, 59-74.

"Matthew [Wright] will win games for us and he will lose games for us. No matter what, he will always take a shot," Robinson then remarked on his skipper's struggles.

"I don't have to tell Matt to take a shot, because no matter what, he will always take that shot. He's the winner, he wants to win and he will find ways to win."

Phoenix's comeback wasted Javee Mocon's double-double of 17 points and 12 rebounds for the now 4-3 Elasto Painters, with Coach Chris Gavina will rue what went wrong in their dreaded slide after only winning just once in their next four outings after starting the season with three straight triumphs on the trot.

The scores:

PHOENIX SUPER LPG 78 -- Perkins 18, Garcia 18, Banchero 14, Melecio 6, Pascual 5, Jazul 5, Wright 4, Muyang 4, Demusis 3, Manuel 1, Chua 0, Rios 0, Calisaan 0, Napoles 0

RAIN OR SHINE 77 -- Mocon 17, Belga 17, Torres 12, Santillan 8, Wong 6, Johnson 5, Guinto 4, Norwood 3, Asistio 3, Caracut 2, Tolentino 0, Ponderada 0, Nambatac 0, Yap 0

Quarter scores: 15-24, 35-43, 55-67, 78-77
PHOTOS: PBA