JASON Perkins and Kenneth Tuffin came through with career games in powering Phoenix Super LPG to a 124-109 win over Blackwater Friday in a match closing out their PBA Philippine Cup campaign at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Perkins notched 39 points and Tuffin added 29 points and 14 rebounds in leading the Fuel Masters, who got off to a sizzling start and built up as much as a 25-point lead before easily quelling whatever threat the Bossing could muster for the wire-to-wire win.
Tyler Tio and Kai Ballungay were also big factors as Phoenix scored a second straight victory that enabled it to finish the season-ending tournament with a 4-7 record, putting it at ninth place overall and add to coach Jamike Jarin's positivity for the next season.
"The way we played the last two games is how we should be playing in Season 50," said Jarin moments after the Fuel Masters' follow-up to their 118-107 win over NLEX last June 4.
"They're just gonna get better. Kai Ballungay was a big-time for me for this all-Filipino. He has proven that he could play in this league and he'll be a superstar in this league. So bright future for the franchise, this young kid, everybody," added Jarin.
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"Kenneth Tuffin, another year he's matured and hopefully he's just gonna get better also. Not just him, not just Kai. Tyler, Ricci (Rivero), Raffy Verano, Matthew Daves."
Tio did impress with 14 points and nine assists and so did Ballungay, who wound up his rookie season with 14 points and 14 rebounds.
"Credit also to all the veterans headed by RJ Jazul, RR Garcia, Jayjay Alejandro. These are the ones that guide these young men to become better," said Jarin.
True to Jarin's pre-game words, Phoenix sure displayed it could really be splendid on a good day, racing to an early 20-point lead at 32-12, shrugged off a three-point barrage by Blackwater to sit on a 65-48 halftime cushion before stretching its lead to 78-53.
Perkins and Tuffin provided both the spark and sustaining fire the Fuel Masters needed by combining for 51 points in the first half alone with the latter also stymieing Bossing top gunner Christian David.
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"I wanted to set the tone defensively, so yeah I think I was able to do that today and the different stuff, be able to take charge in the end," said Tuffin.
For its part, Blackwater officially closed out with a a 2-9 slate that places it at 10th.
The Bossing did put up one gallant stand in a stretch spanning the last two periods to whittle the deficit to just 95-105.
With Perkins leading the windup, however, Phoenix stayed poised.
Richard Escoto had 20 points, while RK Ilagan had 18 points and nine assists for Blackwater, which saw Sedrick Barefield held to just 13 points and David to eight.(NC)
The Scores :
PHOENIX 124 - Perkins 32, Tuffin 29, Tio 14, Ballungay 14, Garcia 6, Rivero 5, Verano 5, Camacho 5, Jazul 4, Alejandro 3, Salado 0, Ular 0, Daves 0, Manganti 0.
BLACKWATER 109- Escoto 20, Ilagan 18, Barefield 13, Mitchell 9, Tratter 9, David 8, Guinto 6, Ayonayon 5, Andrade 5, Mallilin 5, Chua 4, Caperal 3, Jopia 2, Casio 2, Cortez 0.
QUARTERS: 39-19, 65-48, 97-85, 124-109
