Phoenix beats Blackwater 119-114 in PBA Governors' Cup

Phoenix secured its first win in the 2024 PBA Governors' Cup with a narrow victory over Blackwater, defeating them 119-114 on Sunday night.

RR Garcia and Brandone Francis delivered crucial plays late in the fourth quarter to seal Phoenix's victory; Garcia scored 16 of his 20 points in the final frame and earned Player of the Game honors, while Francis nearly recorded a triple-double with 23 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists.

Despite leading by as much as 20 points earlier in the game, Phoenix had to withstand a strong fourth quarter from Blackwater, who received standout performances from George King (32 points) and Sedrick Barefield (30 points).

Phoenix head coach Jamike Jarin expressed optimism about his team's playoff hopes after breaking their winless streak of seven games.

Blackwater faces challenging upcoming games against Rain or Shine and San Miguel, while Phoenix will need to secure wins against Barangay Ginebra and NLEX to have a chance at qualifying for the playoffs.