Middling teams Phoenix, ROS face off

Middling teams Phoenix, ROS face off

Middling teams Phoenix, ROS face off
PBA

Middling teams Phoenix, ROS face off

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MIDDLE-of-the-pack teams Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters battle each other in the main game of the Holy Wednesday offering of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Having it seesaw so far in the mid-season PBA tournament, Phoenix (2-3) and Rain or Shine (3-2), coming off losses in their previous assignments, look to get back on the winning track in their 7 p.m. encounter before the league takes a brief break for the Holy Week.

The Fuel Masters lost to the league-leading San Miguel Beermen in their last game on Friday, 110-88, which sent them in red after hitting the .500 mark previously.

Import Jameel McKay had a double-double of 21 points and 16 rebounds while veterans RJ Jazul and JC Intal had 16 and 14 points, respectively, for Phoenix, but it was not enough to get the better of the Beermen (2-0), which had six players scoring 11 points or more.

Incidentally, the 22-point defeat was the third rout the Fuel Masters were dealt this conference following a 19-point shellacking at the hands of the Star Hotshots (101-82) and a 25-point loss to the TNT KaTropa (134-109) in earlier matches.

It is something that Phoenix coach Ariel Vanguardia said they need “to find a way to address” lest they lose their grip fast on their Commissioner’s Cup campaign.

TWO-GAME SLIDE

Out to thwart Phoenix while infusing renewed vigor in their bid are the defending champions Elasto Painters, losers of their last two games after starting the conference on fire with three straight wins.

The latest defeat of Rain or Shine was to the Alaska Aces, 105-102, 10 days ago and the team is hoping that the long break would allow it to regain its footing and arrest its slide.

Reinforcement Shawn Taggart has been leading the Caloy Garcia-coached Elasto Painters with averages of 29 points, 11.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks.

James Yap has been good for 12.6 points with Jeff Chan, Jericho Cruz and Beau Belga averaging eight points or better.

Before losing to the Aces, Rain or Shine bowed to the Meralco Bolts, 89-83.

In the first game at 4:15 p.m., winless teams GlobalPort Batang Pier (0-4) and NLEX Road Warriors (0-5) engage each other.

Meanwhile, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings guard LA Tenorio was adjudged PBA player of the week after averaging 18 points and helping his team to two victories last week.

The 32-year-old Tenorio is averaging 16.3 points, 3.7 rebounds and 3.3 assists so far in the Commissioner’s Cup.

In winning the weekly plum, Mr. Tenorio beat out teammate Sol Mercado, TNT’s Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario and Ranidel De Ocampo, San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo, Meralco’s Baser Amer and Blackwater’s Mike DiGregorio.