By REYNALD MAGALLON
Phoenix rode on the timely baskets from Ken Tuffin and Evan Nelle to fend off Magnolia, , and give new head coach Charles Tiu a winning debut in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Friday, March 11.
The Fuel Master led by as many as 12 in the final four minutes but still had to weather a late storm from the Hotshots to pick up their first win in the mid-season conference.
Phoenix was enjoying a 94-82 lead with 4:02 left but Magnolia went on an 8-0 spurt to threaten the Fuel Masters. A Tuffin trey stopped the bleeding but the Hotshots remained persistent and cut the deficit to just two with 52 seconds left.
Struggling to execute in the last few possessions, Nelle took matters into his own hands and scored a tough layup over two Magnolia defenders to give his team a 100-96 cushion with 17 seconds left.
James Dickey III turned heads in his first game, posting 20 points and 26 rebounds while frontcourt partner Jason Perkins added 19 points.
Tuffin and Kai Ballungay finished with 12 apiece while Nelle and Ricci Rivero added 10 each.
Noni Omot paced the Hotshots with 27 points while Zav Lucero chipped in 19. Jerom Lastimosa, who had a chance to tie the game with 12 seconds left but missed a four-pointer, finished with 18 points and nine rebounds.
Meanwhile,
Robert Bolick sank the dagger triple as NLEX pulled off a great escape against Blackwater, 84-81, for a winning start to its season.
The veteran gunner stepped up in the crunch, drilling a tough left wing three-pointer with 37 seconds left to give the Road Warriors a five-point cushion that proved to be enough to weather a last-ditch effort from the Bossing.
Bolick fired 13 of his 24 points in the final frame to go with seven assists and four steals as NLEX had to shake off some rust in the first half after trailing by as many as 16 points.
