MANILA, Philippines - Despite his foot infirmity, Nicholas Fazekas is proving to be a very effective import for Petron Blaze.
Fazekas, quick and good though moving with a limp, erupted with a season-high 45 points that went with 22 rebounds as the Boosters repulsed Marcus Douthit and the Air21 Express, 102-88, in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.
The 6-foot-11 NBA veteran went 14-of-21 from the field and 17-of-21 from the stripe as he showed up Douthit, leading the Boosters to a second straight win after a 0-2 start in the mid-season tourney.
“I just had a pretty good night. That’s the case,” said Fazekas, erasing the previous season best of 42 points made by Gary David for Powerade during the Philippine Cup elimination round.
Petron coach Ato Agustin said former Smart Gilas coach Rajko Toroman helped Fazekas prepare against Douthit.
And Fazekas just secured his job as he handed the Boosters a second win. Agustin admitted they had considered an import change after losing their first two games in the tourney.
“He stays for the rest of the tourney unless he gets injured,” said Agustin.
Douthit didn’t do bad with 23 points and 22 rebounds.
Fazekas, however, proved better, distinguishing himself as the first player in the league in two years to put up a 40-point, 20-rebound game. Clif Brown was the most recent to do the feat, churning out 43 points and 20 rebounds for Derby Ace in a game in the 2010 Fiesta Conference.
The Petron locals put in their share as they dropped the Express to 1-1 after the latter toppled the Barako Bull Express.
The Boosters shrugged off a sluggish start, seized control in the second quarter and held on to the finish.
Behind a strong second quarter run, the Boosters took the half at 48-39.
They were behind by 10 at 24-34 before making a run, surging ahead by nine at the turn.
Returning from the bench, Fazekas led Petron’s second-quarter onslaught, going 4-of-4 from the field and 3-of-3 from the stripe.
Fazekas had piled up 22 points and 11 rebounds in the first half as against Douthit’s measly eight points on a woeful 3-of-14 shooting.
The Express started stronger, leading by five, 27-22, after the first period where Renren Ritualo and RJ Jazul combined for 3-of-3 three-point clip.
Sans an import and their head coach, the Talk n Text Tropang Texters pulled an incredible feat, surprising the B-Meg Llamados, 102-96, for their third straight win in the nightcap.
The Texters used 19-of-41 three-point shooting to make up for their lack of inside presence as they overcame the Llamados, dealing them a second loss in four starts.
Already without an import, the Texters also lost coach Chot Reyes for technical infractions.
NOTES: Donnell Harvey, who has just completed a tour of duty in the Chinese league averaging 24 points and 14 rebounds in 32 games, will be Omar Samhan’s replacement as Talk n Text import. Samhan has undergone a surgery at the Asian Hospital to repair his torn left ACL (anterior cruciate ligament) suffered in Tropa’s game against Alaska Sunday.
The scores:
First Game
Petron 102 – Fazekas 45, Cabagnot 13, Santos 12, Miranda 12, Ildefonso 7, Agustin 6, Yeo 3, Doruelo 2, Tugade 2, Reyes 0.
Air21 88 – Douthit 23, Duncil 18, Jazul 12, Ritualo 12, Isip 10,
Omolon 6, Sison 4, Sena 2, Hubalde 1, Escobal 0.
Quarterscores: 22-27, 48-39, 72-69, 102-88
Second Game
Talk n Text 102 – Castro 22, De Ocampo 19, Williams 17, Fonacier 11, Dillinger 8, Alapag 8, Carey 6, Peek 6, Gamalinda 3, Reyes 2.
B-Meg 96 – Bowles 38, Devance 19, Pingris 8, Barroca 7, Intal 6, Yap J. 5, Urbiztondo 4, Yap R. 4, Simon 3, Reavis 2.
Quarterscores: 28-20, 61-49, 84-74, 102-96