Rain or Shine forces TNT to a do-or-die match
THE Rain or Shine Elasto Painters kept their Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup campaign alive after beating the higher-seeded TNT KaTropa in the first game of their quarterfinal pairing match yesterday, 106-102.
Put to a disadvantage with a twice- to-win handicap against the no. 2 team KaTropa, the seventhseeded E- Painters passed their first test behind a gallant stand against a determined TNT crew to send their set-to to a deciding match on Friday.
Taking cue from the high-stakes nature of their contest, the protagonists fought hard to open things.
They went back and forth throughout the first quarter the ended with TNT holding a slim two-point lead at the end, 28-26.
The nip-and-tuck affair continued in the next frame before Rain or Shine made a late sprint to seize command of the game, 52-47, by halftime.
Lost some ground previously, TNT did not waste much time to reclaim the distance it gave up, going on an 11-4 run in the first four minutes of the third quarter to take the lead, 58-56.
But the E-Painters answered back with an 11-3 run of its own in the succeding minute on solid outside sniping to go up, 67-61.
TNT was resilient and kept coming back but the E-Painters had the replies each time to stay ahead, 84-75, at the end of the third quarter.
Rain or Shine was on fire to begin the fourth frame, outscoring TNT, 7-0, in the first minute to extend its lead, 89-75.
Kelly Williams, Jayson Castro and import Glen Rice, Jr. rallied the KaTropa back from a deficit as high as 20 points, 102-82, cutting their Rain or Shine’s lead to three points, 105-102, with 30 seconds remaining.
The E-Painters just would not budge in the end though and hung on for the win.
J’Nathan Bullock led Rain or Shine with 31 points and 15 rebounds while Gabe Norwood added 15 points, nine rebounds and six assists.
Raymond Almazan had 13 and Maverick Ahanmisi 10 points.
Mr. Williams finished with a double-double of 23 points and 10 boards while Mr. Castro had 22 for TNT.
Mr. Rice had 19 points, 10 boards and six dimes.
“We just extended the series. I told the guys that if we wanted to stay alive we needed the win. I believe we can match up well with TNT. From the import to the locals. And it all boils down to the defensive end,” said winning coach Caloy Garcia.
With the win of Rain or Shine, it left the Star Hotshots, which eliminated the NLEX Road Warriors, as the only team to date to have booked a semifinal spot in the season-ending PBA tournament.
As of this writing, the defending champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings were to begin their quarterfinal match with the Grand Slam-seeking San Miguel Beermen. The higher- seeded Kings were holding a twice- tobeat advantage entering the game.
Meanwhile, the top- seeded Meralco Bolts try to stave off a major upset when they face the eight-seeded Blackwater Elite in a do-or-die contest in their quarterfinal match today set for 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Bolts missed out on a chance to move directly to the Final Four on their first try after bowing, 92-91, to the Elite in their tightly fought playoff game last Wednesday.