Willie Wilson (behind) will take over coach Jamike Jarin’s post. —PBA IMAGES
New Phoenix coach Willy Wilson will get a chance to fine-tune the things he wants to run before the PBA’s 50th season as his Fuel Masters and three other teams take part in the Kadayawan Invitational basketball tournament in Davao.
The Fuel Masters are going to face the Converge FiberXers, NLEX Road Warriors and Blackwater Bossing in the four-day event held in conjunction with the city’s Kadayawan Festival that starts on Thursday at University of Southeastern Philippines Gym.
Wilson replaced Jamike Jarin, who was retained by the team as a consultant, as Phoenix looks to bounce back from its struggles in the 2024-25 campaign.
Losing record
Phoenix posted just eight wins in 33 games and missed the playoffs in all three conferences. The Fuel Masters’ last playoff appearance was during their unlikely semifinal run in the 2023-24 Commissioner’s Cup with Best Import Johnathan Williams.
“His experience as a PBA player and coach will be [an] instrumental tool as he steers the best out of the Fuel Masters in the coming season,” the team said when it announced Wilson’s appointment recently.
The 45-year-old Wilson was already with Phoenix as a player since the franchise joined the league in 2016. He was later assigned to the coaching staff in 2020.
He also handled the Fuel Masters’ PBA 3×3 team Limitless in 2021 when it won the first championship of now-defunct halfcourt competition with a lineup powered by current TNT center Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser.
Phoenix plays Blackwater on opening day followed by the matchup between Converge and NLEX. Friday’s schedule has Phoenix against Converge followed by Blackwater opposite NLEX while Saturday’s doubleheader pits Blackwater-Converge and NLEX-Phoenix.
The top two teams advance to the championship game on Sunday while the bottom two meet for third place.
PBA teams have participated in the last two editions of the invitational, with Rain or Shine winning the 2024 title after defeating UAAP powerhouse La Salle. During the said tournament, the Green Archers pulled off upset wins over the Fuel Masters and the FiberXers.
Both Rain or Shine and La Salle, which won in 2023 against fellow collegiate squads, are not part of this year’s competition.
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