The sweet-shooting lefty hit the dagger trey. Of course, he did.
Ken Tuffin has been solid for the Phoenix LPG Fuel Masters this PBA Commissioner’s Cup, averaging 9.2 points, 6.5 rebounds, and 2.8 assists for the Jamike Jarin-led squad coming to its gargantuan showdown versus Barangay Ginebra San Miguel on Saturday. He even has a game-winner under his belt already in his young career, hitting one against the Converge FiberXers to give Phoenix its fourth straight victory.
And, against the league’s most popular ballclub, Tuffin just happened to play his most explosive game yet, making timely baskets to help the Fuel Masters outlast Ginebra, 82-77, at the FPJ Arena in San Jose, Batangas.
Tuffin was at his best in the third canto, when Phoenix briefly retook the lead after trailing for most of the first half, before ending the quarter just down by five, 63-58. In that 12-minute span, the Fil-Kiwi lefty scored 13 of his 18 points, including eight straight near the tail-end of the third to give Phoenix a brief lead, 58-57, en route to building momentum for the payoff period.
Perhaps fittingly, Tuffin finished off Ginebra in the fourth, hitting a massive contested triple with 2:40 remaining to give Phoenix an 80-72 lead going to the game’s last two minutes.
The sweet-shooting forward finished with 18 markers for the game, eclipsing his previous career-high of 16 point, which he set in the Fuel Masters’ 113-101 victory over the NLEX Road Warriors.
Import Johnathan Williams III was his usual dominant self for Phoenix, finishing with a monster double-double of 24 points and 23 boards to go along with four assists and one block. Jayjay Alejandro, meanwhile, continued his stellar play, posting 10 points on top of two assists, one steal, and one block.
Tony Bishop and Jamie Malonzo led the way for Ginebra, with the former finishing with 21 points and 15 rebounds and the latter chipping in 20 markers and 10 caroms.