Phelps gives Phoenix bright start with 53 pts

Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:30 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Mahindra 6:45 p.m. – NLEX vs Meralco

Eugene Phelps produced 53 points and 21 rebounds in a monstrous PBA comeback but Phoenix Petroleum barely got past Blackwater, 118-116, in a double-overtime classic in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome last night.

Phelps went 19- of- 32 from the field and 15-of-23 from the line to surpass his previous PBA high of 52 markers before capping his gamelong brilliance by deflecting Roi Sumang’s make-or-break three-point attempt in the dying seconds of the second OT.

But it could be Phelps’ first and last game in the tourney as he’s booked to play in Puerto Rico in the next few days.

The returning Phoenix reinforcement figured in a colossal duel with NBA veteran Greg Smith who himself piled up monster numbers with 37 points and 30 rebounds.

Phelps emerged victorious as he proved to be in better shape, scoring six of their eight points in the second extra play for the exclamation point in a huge performance that carried Phoenix to a third win in as many overtime games played in the pro league.

Blackwater blew away chances to win the game in regulation and in the first overtime, and thus extended its losing skein to seven in PBA overtime plays.

JC Intal, Cyrus Baguio and Willy Wilson contributed double- digit outputs to help the Fuel Masters to a triumphant Commissioner’s Cup debut coming from a decent sixthplace finish in the Philippine Cup.

A replacement to Marcus Simmons, Phelps helped the Fuel Masters chalk up six wins in their last nine games in the elims. But Phelps and his teammates succumbed against the TNT Texters in the quarterfinals.

Cory Jefferson made quite an impression in his PBA debut as Alaska Milk clobbered a Terrence Romeo-less GlobalPort side, 107-79, later in the night.

Though arriving in the country just Thursday, Jefferson was in sync with the Aces, coming through with 28 points and 14 rebounds to help the team somehow ease the pain of its reversal by the Ginebra Kings in the Philippine Cup quarterfinals. The scores: First Game PHOENIX 118 – Phelps 53, Intal 11, Baguio 10, W. Wilson 10, Alolino 9, Jazul 8, Borboran 8, J. Wilson 3, Lanete 2, Miranda 2, Kramer 2, Dehesa 0, Eriobu 0.

BLACKWATER 116 – Smith 37, Belo 21, Digregorio 13, Sumang 11, Pascual 8, Sena 7, Gamalinda 7, Miranda 6, Ababou 3, Forrester 0, Pinto 0, Cervantes 0, Aguilar 0.

Quarterscores: 18-18, 38-45, 76-75, 100-100, 118-116 Second Game ALASKA 107 – Jefferson 28, Abueva 15, Thoss 13, Pascual 12, Galliguez 9, Banchero 8, Exciminiano 7, Enciso 6, Magat 4, Racal 3, Dela Cruz 2, Mendoza 0, Andrada 0.

GLOBALPORT 79 – Pringle 27, Williams 18, Quinahan 8, Canaleta 6, Cortez 6, Pessumal 5, Mamaril 4, Maierhofer 3, Aban 2, Pennisi 0, Paredes 0.

Quarterscores: 32-24, 59-42, 81-58, 107-79