Phoenix unleashed a barrage of treys to stun NLEX, 112-77, and pump life to its own playoff hopes in the 2024 PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Arena in Pasig City on Saturday, April 20.

RJ Jazul drilled six of his team’s 17 triples that proved to be the difference in the Fuel Masters’ blowout win and kept them in the hunt for a quarterfinals spot.

Phoenix improved to a 3-5 win-loss record to tie with Blackwater at 10^th to 11^th places, just a game behind NorthPort and TNT  which tote similar 4-4 marks at the 6th to 7th places

With Tyler Tio still out due to an ankle injury, the veteran playmaker carried most of the offensive load for the Fuel Masters and went on to finish with 19 points, four rebounds and four assists.

Plenty of Phoenix’s supporting cast also showed up with rookie Ken Tuffin firing 17 points built on an impeccable 3-of-3 clip from deep, while Jjay Alejandro added 16 points.

Veteran big man Jason Perkins also chipped in 10 points and eight rebounds while Kent Salado provided a huge boost with 11 points and eight assists.

More than the offensive explosion, it was also the defense of the Fuel Masters that perfectly enabled the dominant performance as they dealt the Road Warriors their third-worst defeat with a 35-point beating.

In contrast, Phoenix posted its biggest winning margin in the Philippine Cup, surpassing its previous high of a 23-point lead in its victories against Terrafirma and Converge in last season’s all-Filipino conference.

NLEX struggled to solve the changing defense of Phoenix which, at times, employed a box-and-one setup against the Road Warriors’ high-scoring guard Robert Bolick.

The Road Warriors were limited to just 77 points – their lowest output so far in the conference – with Bolick only mustering 11 points on a measly 3-of-13 shooting from the field after averaging 28.6 points before the game.

Enoch Valdez finished with 16 points, although most of it came in the garbage time when Phoenix padded a lead that went to as high as 39 points. 

NLEX absorbed its second straight defeat for a 5-3 record, forging them to relinquish its spot in the Top 2 to Barangay Ginebra, which sports a 6-3 slate.