PHOENIX Super LPG appears to have put its struggles behind it after fashioning a dominant 96-84 victory over erstwhile streaking Terrafirma Thursday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Don Honorio Ventura State U Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Jason Perkins poured in a game-high 28 points while Vic Manuel added 18 points off the bench in leading a finely tuned offense that resulted in as much as an 18-point lead against a Dyip side coming off three straight wins.
Even Matthew Wright and Michael Calisaan got into the act by combining for 24 points as Phoenix put behind it a 76-94 loss to NLEX last Friday and improved to a 3-5 record overall that tied it with its victim.
"We were just executing, playing basketball like we do," said Perkins who scattered 20 of his points in the first half alone, tying Manuel for the most points in a half this conference. Manuel pulled off his feat in a 101-93 win against former team Alaska last July 24.
"We have a great offense," added Perkins, who made 10 of his 17 shots. "(Assistant) coach Jon (Jacinto), he runs a great offense and we're just doing it, moving the ball around, executing and passing the ball to the open man."
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Head coach Topex Robinson was simply pleased after his team shot 37-of-78 from the floor and emerged with a 51-39 rebounding advantage.
"They (Dyip) beat San Miguel, they beat Ginebra, they beat Blackwater. That means they're really here on a mission," said Robinson.
"We just respected the team. We know that if we're not gonna give our best basketball that's a recipe for a loss for us."
Aldrech Ramos's 13 points were enough to pace Terrafirma, which failed to duplicate its franchise-best streak in the 2016 Governors' Cup where it started 4-0.
Roosevelt Adams, Joseph Gabayni, Eric Camson and Rashawn McCarthy each had at least 10 points for the Dyip, who fought back from an early 3-15 deficit to even briefly taste the lead at 40-39. They were in the match only up to the end of the third period after Camson's buzzer-beating heave from 38 feet made it 64-69.
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Then Manuel and Perkins again asserted their might inside and Phoenix had little trouble stretching its lead back up to 90-72 before cruising to the finish. (NC)
The scores:
Phoenix 96 - Perkins 28, Manuel 18, Wright 15, Calisaan 9, Chua 9, Jazul 7, Banchero 4, Garcia 4, Pascual 2, Faundo 0, Muyang 0, Melecio 0, Demusis 0, Tamsi 0, Rios 0.
Terrafirma 84 - Ramos 13, Adams 11, Camson 11, Gabayni 11, McCrathy 10, Tiongson 8, Laput 4, Cahilig 4, Rosser 4, Calvo 3, Batiller 3, Celda 2, Alolino 0, Balangasay 0.
Quarters: 24-17, 47-48, 69-64, 96-84
