MACAU ended its guest participation in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner's Cup on a winning note, beating Phoenix Super LPG, 105-98, on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Jenning Leung helped the Black Knights play the spoiler's role after the team went on a pivotal 9-0 run to go from being down, 93-92, to holding a 101-93 spread with five minutes remaining.
READ TNT replacing Bol Bol with JaVale McGee? Coach Chot responds
Macau led by as many as 20 points in the first quarter.
“Our guys kept composed,” said Macau coach Marcus Elliott. “They came back. They made plays on the offensive end. Jenning came out, hit a couple of big threes for us. We ended up tying it up. Once we got there, we pretty much settled down.”
Macau was still trailing, 89-83, with seven minutes remaining, but eventually won in come-from-behind fashion to end its campaign as foreign guest team with a 3-9 win-loss record.
Phoenix, playing without Ricci Rivero due to a hand injury, dropped to 6-5, hurting its chances of securing a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
Leung had 32 points on 6-of-13 shooting from three-point range, one of which got Macau ahead for good. He also closed that stretch with a lay-up with 2:40 left in the fourth for a 101-93 lead.
Ramon Cao had 23 points and six rebounds, and Tony Mitchell had 13 points, 24 rebounds, and four blocks. Also a revelation for Macau was Xingzhao Chao, who had 12 points on a 4-of-6 clip from three-point range.
Kenneth Tuffin had 27 points on 4-of-6 shooting from threes, and Johnathan Williams had 20 points, 22 rebounds, and eight assists but the Fuelmasters were unable to preserve leads of 67-60 and 89-83 in the second half.
The scores:
Macau 105 – Leung 32, Cao 23, Shackelford 13, Mitchell 13, Chao 12, Chongqui 8, Chen 3, Lu 1.
Phoenix Super LPG 98 – Tuffin 27, Williams 20, Perkins 20, Tio 13, Nelle 9, Delos Santos 4, Ynot 3, Escandor 2, Santos 0, Daves 0.
Quarters: 34-23; 55-51; 75-75; 105-98.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
