Wright to Kramer play lifts Phoenix TNT’s Rosario hits floor face-first in frightening fall

Games Tomorrow (Cuneta Astrodome) 4:30 p.m. – San Miguel vs Blackwater 7 p.m. – NLEX vs Meralco

Doug Kramer scored the goahead basket with three seconds left off a pass by birthday boy Matthew Wright as Phoenix rallied from a 13-point second quarter deficit to stun TNT KaTropa, 74-72, last night in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Kramer’s floater off Tony Semerad came after conspiring with Wright for a pick-and-roll play that allowed the Fuel Masters to score a crucial win which put them in a tie with the KaTropa and the idle NLEX Road Warriors in a share of fifth place at 4-4.

Phoenix Coach Louie Alas was quick to praise Wright, who turned 27, after his three-pointer had tied the score at 72-all with 44.1 seconds left and come on the same play. Sensing that TNT would make some adjustments, Alas told his ace shooter to look for the open man.

“Siya ang first option, but I said kung do-double sila (TNT), look for Doug dahil malilibre siya dun,” Alas said of the play.

Kelly Williams, who also celebrated his birthday, had a chance to force the game into overtime but the TNT veteran missed a high-percentage shot at the buzzer.

Wright finished with 16 points, five rebounds, two assists and three steals for Phoenix, which fell 37-24 early in the second period.

Semerad was TNT’s topscorer with 12 points while RR Pogoy added 10 in a loss that prevented them from gaining solo fourth spot in the standings.

The result was also felt severely after center Troy Rosario was forced to leave the game on a stretcher 24 seconds into the fourth quarter when he landed face-first to the floor while trying to grab the defensive rebound.

Williams apparently shoved Phoenix rookie Jason Perkins during the play underneath, with Perkins sliding on the floor and accidentally undercutting the airborne Rosario. The Gilas Pilipinas standout sustained a cut on his chin and was sent to the Makati Medical Center to get checked for concussions.

Jayson Castro went 3-of-11 from the field for nine points, highlighting TNT’s 36.5 percent shooting. He also missed a running jumper after Wright’s triple that set up Phoenix’s game-winner.

Phoenix, likewise, shot poorly from the floor at 37 percent, but was able to convert 24 points off 21 TNT turnovers.