Gavina’s gambit

Sporting ChanCe

It was a must-win situation for Rain or Shine against Blackwater in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Wednesday. A loss would drop the Elasto Painters’ record to 2-7 and with two games left, not even a sweep could avert outright elimination. Five wins might earn a playoff for a quarterfinals berth, not four. Coach Chris Gavina knew the consequences and so did his team.

Blackwater had a 5-2 mark and coach Ariel Vanguardia said the Bossing would vent their frustrations on Rain or Shine from losing to San Miguel Beer in OT the previous game. Gavina figured Blackwater would do the same thing to the Painters as it did to San Miguel – step on the gas. Transition defense was key in limiting Blackwater’s fastbreak points. On the other hand, Vanguardia had to be wary of the Painters’ three-point shooting since Rain or Shine drained 17 in a 98-86 win over NLEX. Gavina’s gambit was to threaten Blackwater with three-point shots, space the floor and open up driving lanes for quick-stepping guards Rey Nambatac and Gian Mamuyac. If Blackwater’s defense stretched out to the perimeter, its bigs wouldn’t be able to congest the interior and protect the rim.

In the first quarter, Rain or Shine set the tone by knocking down four triples to Blackwater’s two and capitalizing on the Bossing’s miscues to score more turnover points, 7-2. In the second frame, the Bossing came alive with Ato Ular and Jvee Casio scoring six apiece but the telling blow was holding the Painters to only 13 points on 21.1 percent from the floor. In the third period, Rain or Shine continued to strike from beyond the arc, burying four as Blackwater abandoned its interior defense to guard the perimeter. That was the signal for Nambatac to attack, scoring eight points in almost 12 minutes without taking a three-point attempt. Blackwater cut a double-digit margin to nine in the fourth quarter but ran out of steam. Rain or Shine hit only one triple in the last 12 minutes but shot 10 of 13 free throws to ice it.

Vanguardia said Blackwater failed to match Rain or Shine’s intensity and credited the Painters’ defense for taking down the Bossing. Gavina’s gameplan worked like a charm and left Blackwater huffing to recover in the open court. With no collapse on its slashers, Rain or Shine repeatedly scored off drives by Nambatac and Mamuyac. Gabe Norwood joined the party and notched his third straight game in double-figure points. Rain or Shine’s sense of urgency was evident in staying alive for a playoff slot. The challenge is to survive its last two games against Terrafirma tomorrow and Magnolia on Wednesday.