Jason Perkins (with ball) drives to the basket. —CONTRIBUTED PHOTO
With the primary round of the PBA Governors’ Cup eliminations about to conclude, one team is currently assured of holding on to the highest spot in Group B, the tournament’s so-called “Group of Death.”
And it’s not the perennial contenders that earned that distinction, but Phoenix, which on a rainy Tuesday night outplayed Blackwater for a 102-93 win on the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
It might be quite the stunner, unless you ask the team.
“I don’t say I’m surprised [about our standings],” said coach Charles Tiu after the Fuel Masters ended up with a 4-1 record halfway through the group stage. “But as a team, we attempt to consider that we will win every game. We just ask them to compete.”
The primary round saw Phoenix produce wins over Magnolia, Meralco and Barangay Ginebra, before absorbing its only setback of the conference to this point by the hands of Rain or Shine.
Phoenix leaned on its locals with Jason Perkins leading the charge with 25 points, and Gian Mamuyac having his best offensive production since being dealt from Rain or Shine by contributing 18.
Ricci Rivero atoned for his ejection against the Elasto Painters to register 10 points, eight rebounds, nine assists and two blocks.
“To this point we’ve been competing this conference,” Tiu said. “All we ask ourselves is to provide ourselves a likelihood to win; don’t do silly things that can cost us the sport. And we’ve been doing it game-by-game.”
Maintaining its form might be the following challenge for Phoenix, which can face the identical Blackwater team on Aug. 5 to open the second round of the group stage.
Also on the horizon are rematches with Ginebra, Rain or Shine, Meralco and Magnolia, which Phoenix must hurdle to punch its technique to the playoffs as one in every of the 4 best teams within the group.
Blackwater fell to 2-3 after suffering a 3rd consecutive defeat, after a promising start under coach Pat Aquino. Import Kentrell Barkley finished with 36 points and 25 rebounds within the loss.
Meanwhile, Terrafirma and Macau face off on Wednesday at the identical venue, on the lookout for back-to-back wins within the 5:15 p.m. affair.
The Dyip beat the TNT Tropang 5G, 111-106, in time beyond regulation last Saturday at Ynares Center, the identical day the Giant Pandas downed the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 132-126, for a breakthrough victory after a 0-4 start.
Terrafirma holds a 2-3 slate and a win may keep itself in the midst of the pack in Group A, depending on the results of Tuesday’s match between Converge (3-1) and TNT (1-2), which was being played at press time.
San Miguel Beer, which was handed its first defeat by unbeaten NLEx last Sunday, tries to bounce back against Titan at 7:30 p.m. INQ