Games Today
(Ynares Sports Arena, Pasig)
5 p.m. — Converge vs Terrafirma
7:30 p.m. — NLEX vs Rain or Shine

YOUTH-laden Phoenix showed its mettle in a gritty 106-101 win over San Miguel Beer (SMB) to get its PBA On Tour campaign off and running Wednesday night at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Eight players led by Simon Camacho produced 10 points or more for the Fuel Masters, who stood firm in the face of SMB’s furious fourth-quarter storm and secured the upset with an 8-0 windup.

Mr. Camacho topscored with 15 markers to go with eight rebounds, his brilliant plays allowing Phoenix to seize huge leads that reached a high of 26 early on.

Tyler Tio rifled in 14 highlighted by a booming trey that wrested the lead back to the Fuel Masters, 102-101. Larry Murang (11-12), RR Garcia (11), Sean Manganti (10), Kurt Lojera (10) and Raul Soyud (10, including a dagger layup that stretched the Phoenix margin to 104-101) also contributed heavily.

In his best performance in a long while, a fit-again Terrence Romeo sizzled with 27 while Robbie Herndon shot 21 to lead the Beermen, who sat out key players June Mar Fajardo, CJ Perez, Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter and Simon Enciso in their maiden appearance.

Phoenix matched the winning starts of Meralco, which hacked out a 97-89 victory over NorthPort Wednesday afternoon, and Blackwater, 93-88 victor over NLEX in Sunday’s opener.

Meanwhile, Converge and Terrafirma tangle as they hit the court for the first time today at 5 p.m. also at Ynares-Pasig. The Road Warriors seek a bounceback versus debuting Rain or Shine later at 7:30 p.m.

The Scores:

Meralco 97 — Maliksi 21, Quinto 14, Caram 11, Hodge 11, Torres 10, Pascual 9, Pasaol 8, Jose 7, Almazan 6, Rios 0, Manday 0

NorthPort 89 — Chan 20, Calma 15, Zamar 12, Ayaay 9, Santos 9, Salado 8, Yu 5, Munzon 5, Taha 2, Balagasay 2, Olivario 2, Bulawan 0, Caperal 0, Gabriel 0, Comboy 0

Quarterscores: 26-12, 51-40, 64-64, 97-89

Second Game

Phoenix 106 — Camacho 15, Tio 14, Garcia 11, Muyang 11, Manganti 10, Lojera 10, Alejandro 10, Soyud 10, Lalata 7, Jazul 6, Atienza 2

San Miguel 101 — Romeo 27, Herndon 21, Tautuaa 16, Brondial 12, Cruz 12, Baclao 6, Bulanadi 4, Lee 3, Saldua 0, Faundo 0

Quarterscores: 37-17, 61-44, 89-78, 106-101.

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