IF there’s a play that best captured Phoenix's grit in a win over NorthPort in their PBA Governors' Cup playoff, it’s a sequence that didn’t involve import Du’Vaughn Maxwell, top gunner Matthew Wright, or back-up guard RR Garcia.
It was provided by a rookie player known for his hustle and blue-collar work ethic.
“I think the turning point was when Nick made that shot on his back,” Wright said of Nick Demusis converting a basket while lying down at the Smart Araneta Coliseum floor late in the third quarter that enabled the Fuel Masters to close in the gap at 68-70 after trailing by as many as 15 points earlier.
“I think that demoralizes the other team right there. That completely shifted the momentum.”
WATCH:
Indeed, it was.
The Fuel Masters went toe-to-toe with the Batang Pier from that point on before securing a thrilling 101-98 win and catching the last bus to the quarterfinals as the No. eight seed.
They now face top seed Magnolia in the playoffs that start on Wednesday, needing to beat the Hotshots twice in a row to move on.
But Wright doesn’t see the task impossible with the way the Fuel Masters played against a highly-favored NorthPort side.
He made mention of RR Garcia stepping up big time as the veteran guard had nine of his 19 points in the fourth quarter, Jason Perkins, Maxwell, and of course Demusis, who played quality minutes in the short time he was on the floor.
“I think today we showed real grit, real Phoenix grit and heart,” said the Fil-Canadian, who had a quiet 11 points and seven rebounds and shot just 2-of-8 from the floor.
“I’m so proud of the guys. They picked us up when I didn’t have the best game.”
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