Locals step up as Petron blows past B-MEG to notch 1st win

Nick Fazekas played his usual steady game, Joseph Yeo stepped up, and Alex Cabagnot kept the team in control down the stretch, as Petron Blaze weather repeated rallies by B-MEG to survive with an 84-77 win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Sunday at the Ynares Center.



Fazekas finished with 23 points and 16 rebounds and got plenty of help from the Boosters’ local crew.

Yeo contributed 15 points, six rebounds, three assists and four steals in a brilliant all-around game. His second three-pointer of the game shoved the Boosters to their biggest lead at 19, 64-45, with 2:53 remaining in the third period.

Cabagnot, on the other hand, was steady at the height of B-MEG’s rally.

With the Llamados inching to within seven points off a Peter June Simon basket, 68-61, Cabagnot sparked a telling 6-0 run which enabled his team to pull away anew.

“We made good adjustments after our two losses,” said Petron coach Ato Agustin. “If you noticed, mas maganda simula namin ngayon because we’re more aggressive offensively and defensively. Maganda rin distribution ng scoring ng mga locals.”

Denok Miranda added 12 points while Arwind Santos, back to his comfortable role playingthe power forward position, contributed 10 points and 14 rebound.

“We decided to bring Arwind back to No. 4 dahil hirap siya sa small forward spot,” said Agustin.

With the locals stepping up, Petron managed to enter the win column after losing its first two games.

Santos also had three blocks, including a highlight one against B-MEG import Denzel Bowles, who wasn’t much of a factor in his team’s first setback in three matches.

Bowles scored 22 points and grabbed 10 rebounds, but was in and out of the game. The Llamados played without him in crucial stretches as they were attempting to make a comeback.

The scores:

Petron (84) – Fazekas 23, Yeo 15, Cabagnot 14, Miranda 12, Santos 10, Guevarra 6, Agustin 2, Ildefonso 2, Sharma 0, Tugade 0.

B-MEG (77) – Bowles 22, Yap 16, Simon 12, Devance 9, Pingris 7, Barroca 4, Yap, R. 3, Intal 2, Reavis 2, Urbiztondo 0, De Ocampo 0.

Quarterscores: 29-16; 45-36; 66-56; 84-77

by Reynaldo Belen, InterAKTV | interaksyon.com