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Coach Vanguardia insists Wright is not what's wrong with Phoenix

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img src="http://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2017/trending/07/31/073117-phoenix.jpg"/><figcaption>Matthew Wright attempts a shot for Phoenix against NLEX. Richard Esguerra, <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/photos">ABS-CBN Sports</a></figcaption></figure></div>MANILA, Philippines – By all accounts, the Phoenix Fuel Masters should be a better team with Matthew Wright around.Wright has been quite impressive as a rookie, averaging 16.7 points after the first two conferences, shooting 34.7% from beyond the arc. He is also norming 6.5 rebounds, 4.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game heading into the Governors&#x27; Cup.Yet his presence on the court has not translated to success for the Fuel Masters – at least, not in the season-ending Govenors&#x27; Cup. Phoenix opened the conference with two straight wins, while Wright was with Gilas Pilipinas in the Jones Cup in Taiwan. But since his return, they have lost back-to-back games: a 100-91 result to GlobalPort where Wright shot 0-of-6 from the field; and a 95-91 defeat to NLEX that saw Wright score 17 points, only for the Fuel Masters to squander a 10-point lead in the final quarter.&quot;We just lost,&quot; Wright said afterward. &quot;Some poor executions down the stretch, that&#x27;s why we lost.&quot;His personal bounce-back performance after shooting poorly against GlobalPort was of no comfort to Wright. &quot;It doesn&#x27;t matter. We lost the game… I just want to win the game,&quot; he said. &quot;It&#x27;s frustrating when your team is losing.&quot;<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/basketball/news/2017/07/30/road-warriors-remain-undefeated-ginebra-gets-board-29156">READ: Road Warriors remain undefeated; Ginebra gets on the board</a></li></ul>Wright has no explanation for his team&#x27;s two-game skid while he is with them, but his coach, Ariel Vanguardia, was quick to come to the rookie guard&#x27;s defense.&quot;Coincidence lang &#x27;yan,&quot; said Vanguardia. &quot;We&#x27;re not blaming anyone.&quot;&quot;We win as a team, we lose as a team,&quot; the coach stressed. &quot;We didn&#x27;t have the breaks today.&quot;Rather than wondering why Wright was unable to lead the Fuel Masters to victory, Vanguardia instead lamented Phoenix&#x27;s team-wide woes on defense.&quot;We couldn&#x27;t finish the job. We were already leading by 10 with under nine minutes (left). Our defense didn&#x27;t hold up in the fourth quarter, especially on (Carlo) Lastimosa,&quot; he pointed out.Lastimosa scored 11 of his 14 points in the final frame, anchoring the crucial 13-2 run midway through the quarter that allowed NLEX to erase Phoenix&#x27;s 10-point advantage.&quot;Sayang &#x27;yung opportunity,&quot; said Vanguardia. &quot;It could be the opportunity for us to move up, pero &#x27;di pa din namin nakuha. We know we got outworked, especially in the fourth quarter.&quot;&quot;Everybody should be accountable for it,&quot; he stressed. &quot;We should learn to close out games.&quot;Wright is expected to play at least one more game with Phoenix before returning to fulfill his duties with the national team. He is part of the 12-man roster that will represent the Philippines in FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon starting on August 8.For more sports coverage, visit the <a href="http://sports.abs-cbn.com/">ABS-CBN Sports website</a>.

Since Matthew Wright's return, the Phoenix Fuel Masters have lost back-to-back games.

Since Matthew Wright's return, the Phoenix Fuel Masters have lost back-to-back games.

Coach Vanguardia insists Wright is not what's wrong with Phoenix

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Coach Vanguardia insists Wright is not what's wrong with Phoenix

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published Jul 31, 2017 05:34 PM PHT

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PBA

PBA Governors' Cup

Phoenix Fuel Masters

Matthew Wright

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