Soyud Leads the Way as Phoenix Survives Meralco in a Thrilling Encounter 2023

Speaking about the game, Soyud expressed, “We were only nine players in this game, so coach (Jamike Jarin) told us to support each other no matter what happens on the court.” The Fuel Masters heeded his advice admirably.

RR Garcia contributed 15 points along with five assists, while Manganti added 12 points and seven rebounds to his name. Young center Larry Muyang continued his impressive form with a second consecutive double-double, registering 13 points and 12 rebounds. Tyler Tio also made his presence felt with a solid 10 points. The remaining healthy players, namely Daniel Atienza (9), Jayjay Alejandro (7), Chris Lalata (6), and RJ Jazul (3) played significant roles in Jarin’s game plan. Simon Camacho, the tenth player on the team, only had a brief 1.9-second appearance due to an injury sustained in the previous game against SMB.

Despite his standout performance, Soyud was unable to complete the game as he received a flagrant foul penalty-one for adopting a fighting stance during a heated altercation with Meralco’s Raymar Jose, who was also penalized. However, the two players reconciled and exchanged friendly banter during the post-game handshake. Reflecting on the incident, Soyud dismissed any lingering animosity, stating, “It’s all in the intensity of the game.”

For Meralco, Anjo Caram led the scoring with 22 points, while Bong Quinto contributed 10 points along with 11 assists. Unfortunately, the absence of Allein Maliksi, who played a pivotal role in their opening win against NorthPort, due to a sore heel, affected Meralco’s performance. Additionally, Chris Newsome, Chris Banchero, and Aaron Black were sidelined due to injuries, further weakening their lineup.