Bay Area bucks slow start, frustrates Phoenix in physical encounter
It took time for Bay Area’s machine to heat up but when it did, it never looked back.

The Dragons bucked a slow start and turned on a huge second quarter rally to frustrate Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, 101-91, and stay undefeated in the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With all the focus on putting the clamps down on Dragons import Myles Powell, Hayden Blankley stepped up and carried the fight for Bay Area as he spearheaded a backbreaking 17-0 run that erased the Fuel Masters’ 16-point lead before building it own sizeable margin which it never relinquished to secure its third win in as many as games.
Trailing 16, 41-25, midway through the second frame, the Dragons embarked on the telling run that gave them a precarious one-point cushion, 42-41, at the break following a booming Blankley trey.
Phoenix totally fell apart from there as Powell and Glenn Yang finally found their offensive groove at the start of the second half allowing the Dragons to build a lead that went to as many as 19 points, 89-70, early in the final frame.
Tempers even flared between Powell and Phoenix head coach Topex Robinson following a verbal exchange that even saw the latter charging towards the former and had to be restrained by cooler heads with 26 seconds left in the third quarter.
Powell, after only scoring 10 points in the first half, erupted for 22 in the last two quarters to still finish with 32 points that also came with 10 rebounds. Blankley churned in 15 points while Yang and Duncan Reid added 14 points apiece.
Phoenix tried to make a late comeback and rise from the ashes in the fourth quarter after unleashing a 13-3 spurt that enabled the Fuel Masters to cut the lead back to single digits, 92-83. That, however, was the closest Phoenix could get as timely hits from Reid kept the Fuel Masters at bay.
Javee Mocon and Tyler Tio paced the Fuel Masters with 22 and 21 points respectively while import Kaleb Wesson, after a strong start, slowed down in the second half to only finish with 17 points and 18 rebounds