At A Glance
- James Dickey III put up an impressive 20-20 performance and powered Phoenix past Blackwater, 125-108, to get back on the winning track in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner's Cup at the Ynares Center in Montalban on Friday, April 17.
James Dickey III put up an impressive 20-20 performance and powered Phoenix past Blackwater, 125-108, to get back on the winning track in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center in Montalban on Friday, April 17.
Dickey was all over the floor, scattering 27 points and 26 rebounds to go with five assists, three steals and three blocks as the Fuel Masters took control from start to arrest a two-game losing skid.
Phoenix improved to a 4-3 record while handing Blackwater a fourth straight defeat for a 1-6 record. Jason Perkins complemented Dickey with his 25 points while Ken Tuffin fired 20 points — built on four triples.
The Fuel Masters used a 10-3 spurt that turned a slim 24-23 lead into a 34-26 advantage at the end of the opening frame. Phoenix was never threatened from there as it slowly but surely built the lead that even went to as high as 28 points.
Blackwater had a huge 36-point game from import Robert Upshaw III but even that was not enough to give new head coach Pat Aquino his first win in the big league.
The Fuel Masters also had a huge defensive effort against Sedrick Barefield in the second half as after exploding for 26 through the first two frames was limited to just one point the rest of the way.