MANILA – Phoenix withstood a gallant stand from all-Filipino Rain Or Shine and walked away with a 114-106 win in their PBA Governors' Cup game on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Fuel Masters rode behind a red-hot first half but needed to hold off the Elasto Painters in the end as they continue their late march to the quarterfinals.
Phoenix held ROS to just 14 points in the first quarter and put up 38 in the second to open a huge 67-46 halftime lead.
Come the second half, however, the Elasto Painters came alive and cut the lead down to just four, 110-106, with 36 seconds left.
Du'Vaughn Maxwell, though, scored on a dagger layup right in the next play even as Nick Demusis turned the ball over in the next ROS offensive that sealed their fate.
RR Garcia and Encho Serrano each scored 17 points, while Maxwell came an assist shy of a rare 5x5 with 17 points, 13 rebounds, four dimes, five steals, and five blocks for Phoenix, which moved up to 4-5 after winning for the third straight time.
Santi Santillan and Norbert Torres each scored 14 markers for ROS, which fell to 2-7.
The team was forced to play without an import as new recruit Jordan Tolbert failed to meet the height limit for the season-ending conference.
Tolbert was measured earlier Wednesday at 6'6 1/8", missing the six-foot-six cut by just a hairline.
With the Elasto Painters' next game on Saturday night, coach Yeng Guiao revealed that they might still go all-Filipino given the very short time to find a replacement for Tolbert. (PNA)
