Phoenix sobers up San Miguel for first PBA Philippine Cup win

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Phoenix Fuel Masters vented their ire on the struggling San Miguel Beermen, 109-103, during their PBA Philippine Cup showdown on Oct. 12, 2025, at the Ynares Center.

After a tough loss to the TNT Tropang 5G, the Fuel Masters bounced back against the Beermen to nab their first win in the All-Filipino Conference.

It was a contrast in their game against the Beermen, as Phoenix hit the ground running in the first half, building a double-digit cushion to enter the last two quarters with a huge momentum swing.

Just when the Fuel Masters thought they could sustain their two-way display, San Miguel had other plans in the third quarter when they trimmed their deficit to just a single digit, courtesy of June Mar Fajardo’s post dominance.

The Fuel Masters’ worst nightmare came when the Beermen took the lead off a Juami Tiongson three-pointer, 64-63, forcing head coach Willy Wilson to call an emergency timeout.

Phoenix recovered late in the third, but the pivotal moment came in the fourth and final frame when their poise was once again tested.

In the final two minutes of the ball game, the Beermen pulled to within a deuce twice, but the duo of Evan Nelle and Ricci Rivero filled the catalyst roles after sinking the much-needed free throws in the clutch and tense stretch.

Phoenix survived a massive San Miguel rally in the fourth when they saw their 16-point lead evaporate into two, all thanks to Rivero and Nelle, who buried cold-blooded shots to avoid the disappointing loss.

Rivero spearheaded the Fuel Masters with 16 points and seven rebounds while Nelle, who nailed clutch baskets in the fourth, came up with a near double-double outing of nine markers and 10 assists.

“Tuloy-tuloy ‘yung adjustment,” said Wilson during the postgame interview.

“Pinakita namin kanina, is just a small portion of ‘yung gusto namin ilabas sa court. The team is relatively new.”

The Fuel Masters will look to bag their second consecutive win on Oct. 22 against the NLEX Road Warriors, while the Beermen, who are yet to enter the PBA winning column, aim to redeem themselves on Oct. 19 against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.