Phoenix snaps winless spell

MANILA, Philippines — At last, Phoenix Super LPG went through an entire 48-minute game without running out of gas.

And as they broke through with a 119-114 victory over Blackwater, the Fuel Masters kept their quarterfinal drive in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup alive at 1-7.

Though still at sixth and last in Group B, Jamike Jarin’s charges could make it to the next round if they could sweep their last two games against Ginebra and NLEX while hoping the third-running Road Warriors (3-4) and the No. 4 Bossing (3-5) would get stuck at three wins at the end of the elims.

“We were frustrated in our first seven games because in almost all of them, we were in it. Finally we got our win tonight,” said Jarin who also took “full responsibility” for their fumbling opening.

“We got over the hump and we will work hard in our next games. Ano lang kami, as long as we have games to be played, we’ll continue to play our best (and hope to reach the playoffs).”

The Fuel Masters appeared about to have a major meltdown when they allowed the Bossing to get to just two points coming off a 20-point separation.

Garcia produced 16 in the fourth period, including 10 straight in a crucial stretch that restored a 108-100 cushion for Phoenix going to the last 33.5 seconds.

The veteran guard finished with 20 on a 7-of-12 clip to back up import Brandone Francis, who fell one assist short of a triple double with his 23-point, 10-rebound, nine dime effort.

Later, with Marcio Lassiter firing six triples to rise to No. 1 in the all-time three-points list at 1,254 past Jimmy Alapag (1,250), San Miguel Beer (6-2) annihilated Ginebra (5-3), 131-82, for the solo lead in Group B.

Quarterfinals-clinching SMB posted its most lopsided win for the franchise and handed coach Tim Cone and the Ginebra club their worst loss ever on Lassiter’s (18 markers) historic night