[ad_1]
RJ Jazul put on a fiery performance to pilot the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters in a close 110-103 victory over the San Miguel Brewers on Thursday at the 2020 PBA Philippines Cup at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Stadium.
Jazul scored 33 points, his personal best, and had a hot hand at the end, shooting 23 points in the fourth quarter. He shot 12 of 20 from the field, driven by nine triples. He also dropped the dagger triple with 13.3 seconds remaining to seal the victory.
“You just have to trust him. You have to make him feel like you believe in him. He’s been working on those shots,” Phoenix coach Topex Robinson said after the game. “Fight hard, but I told him if you’re open, keep firing that shot. You’ll make it.”
Jason Perkins also had a solid 27-point outing, including five 3s and 10 rebounds. But Jazul’s breakaway game was a welcome sight as Matthew Wright, the team’s leading scorer, struggled with just 10 points on 4-of-11 shots. Calvin Abueva was also calm with only seven points, although he did have 10 rebounds and five assists.
Despite Jazul’s brilliance, the Brewers remained competitive thanks to crucial shots from Alex Cabagnot, who finished with 20 points for eight assists. Marcio Lassiter also had 20 points and Mo Tautuaa battled foul trouble for three quarters to finish with 21 points.
Von Pessumal’s free throws brought San Miguel to life with 38 seconds to go, reducing Phoenix’s lead to just six. However, Jazul had one more trick up his sleeve, piercing the dagger triple with 13.3 seconds remaining to seal the victory.
“That’s special for us, having RJ hit all those 3s is really important to us,” Robinson said.
The Fuel Masters made a franchise record of 22 3-pointers to duel a valiant effort by San Miguel.
With the victory, Phoenix secured a spot in the quarterfinals while putting an emphatic brake on Beermen’s four-game winning streak. Phoenix rose to 6-3 while San Miguel settled for 5-3 in the standings.
“We always want to be the best versions of ourselves going into this game,” Robinson said. “We don’t want to fall in love with wins and losses, we know it’s there, we know it’s all bundled together, but as long as we stay true to our purpose here. Winning will be the by-product of what we’re doing. We have to make sure we stand our ground. no matter what “.
THE SCORES
PHOENIX 110 – Jazul 33, Perkins 27, García 11, Wright 10, Mallari 7, Chua 7, Abueva 7, Marcelo 3, Ríos 3, Intal 2, Reyes 0, Heruela 0
SAN MIGUEL 103 – Tautuaa 21, Lassiter 20, Cabagnot 20, Santos 11, Pessumal 10, Ross 6, Escoto 6, Gamalinda 5, Mamaril 2, Zamar 2
Quarters: 29-22, 52-53, 75-71, 110-103
ADDITIONAL JARS
– RJ Jazul carried with him an average of 7.9 points before his explosion against San Miguel.
Phoenix went 22-of-53 from beyond the arc, breaking his 3-point average of 12 mark on nearly 37 attempts per game.
NEXT GAMES
San Miguel vs. NLEX Road Warriors, 4:00 pm on November 6
Phoenix vs. Blackwater Elite, 1:00 pm on November 9
