PHOENIX heralded its breakthrough into the win column in a huge manner, dealing Northport its very first loss in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, 115-109, on Tuesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Donovan Smith, Jason Perkins, and RJ Jazul delivered the points that mattered for the Fuel Masters, who finally snapped out of a 0-4 start in the mid-season conference.
It was the first loss in six outings for the Batang Pier, who are now tied for the No. 1 spot with Hong Kong-based guest team Eastern.
READ Arwind Santos on Justine Baltazar: 'Malayo ang PBA sa MPBL'
In the day’s other game, Converge gifted top rookie pick Justine Baltazar his first win in Asia’s pioneering pro league by subduing NLEX, 102-91.
Baltazar had import Cheick Diallo to thank as the former NBA player registered 37 points and 18 rebounds in helping the FiberXers climb to a 3-2 record.
The Road Warriors fell to 3-3 after losing for the second straight game.
Here’s a quick takeaways in Tuesday’s featured games:
1. REAL BALTI STILL TO SHOW UP – as the season’s No. 1 overall pick, expectations are naturally high on the 6-foot-8 Baltazar, who unfortunately, has yet to show the potential that made him a coveted prospect who earned two MVPs and two championships in the MPBL while playing as the franchise player of the Pampanga Giant Lanterns. In his second PBA game, Balti finished with four points, four assists, but grabbed seven rebounds in 22 minutes of play. The numbers obviously, are not a reflection of the Pampanga native’s status, but as coach Franco Atienza said the FiberXers are looking at the bigger picture as Balti’s presence on the court alone gives the team a lot of upsides.
2. WELCOME BACK, COACH SIOT – veteran coach Siot Tanquingcen finally showed up on the NLEX Road Warriors bench as the latest addition to their coaching staff. The former playmaker out of University of Santo Tomas though, uses a walking stick to move around as he is still recuperating from a hip replacement surgery. Nonetheless, it was a sight to behold seeing the champion coach working the sidelines again alongside long-time partner Jong Uichico. The two of course, worked together in the past to steer San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra to several championships. Too bad, the Road Warriors lost to Converge FiberXers in Tanquingcen’s first NLEX appearance.
3. FUEL MASTERS HEAVE A SIGH OF RELIEF – One can feel Phoenix coach Mike Jarin's relief when the Fuel Masters finally got that elusive first win after a couple of near-misses in the past including games against top contender Meralco and defending champion San Miguel Beer. “Pu#@$% In$#@@, nanalo rin kami,” the usually soft-spoken coach blurted out the moment he walked inside the press room for the postgame interview. But he was quick to take back his words, asking if the presser is still off cam. So by the time the postgame event began rolling, Jarin was already subdued while sitting beside Best Player of the Game RJ Jazul.
4. BATANG PIER FALL SHORT OF POSTING LONGEST WIN STREAK – the NorthPort loss kept the team from clinching the longest win streak in franchise history as it fell to a 5-1 record. The Batang Pier’s record for the longest winning streak remains at five games. But their 5-0 start now stands as the best in the 12-year history of the ballclub.
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