CHICAGO - Matthew Wright went the wrong way last Sunday.
In a dismal, rare off night, the usually reliable Phoenix star managed just 11 points on 2-of-5 shooting from the field while clunking all 3 of his 3-point attempts. He also coughed up two turnovers in his 40 minutes and 41 seconds of action.
Thanks to a throwback performance from RR Garcia, who had 19 points off the bench, plus an 18-piece nugget from Jason Perkins, the Fuel Masters had enough to dismiss NorthPort and claim the last Governors' Cup playoffs bus.
"Good team defense," Wright told me of his temporary foray into mediocrity during that knockout encounter.
Obviously, Phoenix dodged a bullet there.
Can they dodge a canon against top seed Magnolia and pull a heist that would be akin to David slaying Goliath twice?
Faced with the grim task to stay alive in the conference, Wright is ready against a physically imposing team that is expected to come at him hard and often.
"Nothing I'm not used to" was the gospel according to Matthew. "We will handle the physicality, play through the fouls, and be physical back."
PHOENIX HEAD COACH TOPEX ROBINSON AGREES.
While he cautions that "a lot of things will have to fall into place to beat a super team," Robinson is all green light that "Matt will be up to the challenge."
When I told him Calvin Abueva, the face of Magnolia's toughness, will suit up in the main event of a Friday night double-header at the Big Dome, the ultra competitive Wright, said he was ready to take off the gloves.
"Good. I'm looking forward to the challenge."
Fortunately for Phoenix, Abueva isn't quite at full speed yet after dealing with a hamstring issue for weeks now and the frisky wing may not wield the same sharpness.
"Hindi pa rin 100 percent healthy. Need mabalik yung timing nya at game shape. But nag-start na siya mag court practice na kasama na siya ng team. Gradually, makukuha din nya yung condition at timing," Magnolia head coach Chito Victolero told SPIN.ph.
Whether that's gamesmanship or a dose of truth, who knows?
One thing is certain,though.
Matthew Wright and his ninja-inspired Nike bandana will show up at that designated time and place of battle and he will roll with the same guys who have outlasted the odds and brought Phoenix to this wonderful place called the postseason.
MISSED OPPORTUNITY. Robert Bolick wanted to be paid like a star.
And according to my sources, the sweet shooter got his wish when the former San Beda hero, according to sources, was given a P1.1 million a month salary to spurn the Japan B.League.
But in last Friday's KO game, Bolick didn't play like a star.
Although he scored 19 points and grabbed 9 rebounds to go with his 7 dimes, Bolick's shooting, the most important weapon in his arsenal, went AWOL.
He misfired on 11 of 18 field goals and he made only 2 of 10 triple attempts.
Given a stage to shine against Phoenix, Bolick promptly fell off of it.
Bolick, a force in the present and a promise for the future, got outplayed by a name in the past - RR Garcia of Phoenix.
It happens.
And I am confident that Bolick will learn from this hiccup and emerge as an even better, brighter Batang Pier.
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