By Waylon Galvez
Games Tomorrow (Cuneta Astrodome)
4:30 p.m. – San Miguel vs Blackwater
7 p.m. – NLEX vs Meralco
Doug Kramer scored a go-ahead basket with 3.0 seconds left off a pass by birthday boy Matthew Wright as Phoenix rallied from a 13-point second quarter deficit to beat TNT KaTropa, 74-72, last night in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Kramer’s floater off Tony Semerad came after conspiring with Wright for a pick-and-roll play that allowed the Fuel Masters to score a crucial win that put them in a tie with the KaTropa and the idle NLEX Road Warriors in a share of fifth place at 4-4.
Phoenix coach Louie Alas was quick to praise Wright, who turned 27, after his three-pointer that tied the score at 72-all with 44.1 seconds left came on the same play.
Sensing that TNT would make some adjustments, Alas told his ace shooter to look for the open man.
“Siya ang first option, but I said kung dodouble sila (TNT), look for Doug dahil malilibre siya dun,” Alas said of the play.
Kelly Williams, who also celebrated his birthday, had a chance to force the game into overtime but the TNT veteran missed a high-percentage shot at the buzzer.
The result was also felt severely after center Troy Rosario was forced to leave the game on a stretcher 24 seconds into the fourth quarter when he landed face-first to the floor while trying to grab the defensive rebound.
Williams apparently pushed Phoenix rookie Jason Perkins underneath, prompting Rosario to land awkwardly.
The Gilas Pilipinas standout sustained a cut on his chin but was sent to the Makati Medical Center to check if he had sustained a concussion.
Scores:
First Game
PHOENIX 74 – Wright 16, Chan 11, Alolino 10, Perkins 8, Kramer 8, Wilson 8, Jazul 5, Chua 4, Mendoza 4, Dehesa 0, Cortes 0, Eriobu 0, Intal 0, Revilla 0.
TNT 72 – Semerad 12, Pogoy 10, Castro 9, Tautuaa 9, Williams 8, Tamsi 5, Reyes 5, Carey 4, Rosario 4, Garcia 3, Torres 3.
Quarters: 20-24, 30-40, 56-61, 74-72.
Second Game
GINEBRA 103 – Slaughter 14, Tenorio 13, J. Aguilar 13, Thompson 12, Ferrer 10, Taha 8, Manuel 8, Caperal 6, R. Aguilar 6, Mercado 4, Cruz 4, Jamito 3, Caguioa 2, Wilson 0.
KIA 77 – McCarthy 15, Tubid 13, Corpuz 9, Reyes 8, Jamon 5, Camson 4, Sara 4, Escoto 4, Khobuntin 4, Yee 4, Lastimosa 3, Ababou 2, Galanza 2, Celda 0, Gabriel 0.
Quarter scores: 25-24, 53-34, 78-52, 103-77.
