MANILA, Philippines – In the ongoing PBA Commissioner’s Cup event held at the storied Smart Araneta Coliseum, the Phoenix Super LPG professional basketball team defeated Blackwater Elite on Friday night by a score of 111 to 106 to claim its second straight triumph. A stunning late-game comeback by star power forward Jason Perkins, who took over by scoring 12 of his 23 points in the last quarter to put his Phoenix team ahead after trailing for the majority of the game, helped the Fuel Masters secure this important victory.

As the Fuel Masters rode the wave of his relentless scoring to a huge comeback victory, Perkins imposed his will in the painted area during winning time to seize back momentum and control of the intense game. Phoenix is now 5-2 on the early conference season, and more performances from Forward Perkins, who has the potential to be an MVP, will help the team climb higher in the standings.

The 6’4″, powerful forward Jason Perkins demonstrated his absolute control in the last minutes of the game by scoring 12 of his 23 team-high points in the painted area. This commanding interior presence in the shaded lane proved crucial as the Fuel Masters broke the 77-all tie that had held teams in a deadlock, charging ahead in crucial moments.

Coach Jamike Jarin made a series of calculated substitutions with just 38 seconds remaining in the game to replace Perkins and his other starters with Jonathan Williams, Ricci Rivero, Javee Mocon, and Matthew Wright. These skillful moves further cemented Phoenix’s late lead, giving them a commanding 6-point advantage at 109-101 that Blackwater was unable to overcome. 

Although Blackwater’s top scorer Chris Ortiz had a difficult time throughout the entire game due to the team’s collective two-way effort, which Coach Jarin rightfully praised, Jason Perkins’ outstanding offensive performance was unquestionably his best thus far this PBA Governors Cup season.

In response to Forward Perkins’ outstanding 23-point performance on a productive 9 of 13 shooting night supported by 12 large rebounds, Head Coach Jamike Jarin voiced his happiness with Phoenix’s easy 109-103 victory over their opponents. Jason Perkins was duly acknowledged in the locker room following Phoenix’s thrilling road triumph that saw them move up the standings. Teammates praised the power forward’s pivotal role in sustaining the team’s success during critical moments by relentlessly scoring goals that destroyed Blackwater’s hopes.

Coach Jarin emerged from the visitor’s locker room and continued to emphasize how the Fuel Masters’ collective faith in Jason’s potent inside offense allowed them to keep feeding their hot hand during the winning time—a crucial tactical adjustment that paid championship dividends to see out the big victory. Perkins scored a game-high 12 points in the fourth quarter. The Fuel Masters have their sights set squarely on the ultimate PBA title, and with Jason Perkins playing at this high level as Phoenix’s main MVP candidate midway through the conference season, the sky seems to be the limit on how far they can go.

As thrilled as he is with his Fuel Masters record right now, Jarin reminded everyone that a long road still needs to be traveled. “We’re quickly happy at this moment, nevertheless we aren’t eligible to advance to the championships together with three wins. When they are, the training is still going on to get more efficient, and to get ready to acquire the remainder of the matches.”