Shorthanded Painters overcomes Kia
MANILA – Rain or Shine
n Elasto Painters bucked the absence of a number of key players and defeated Kia Picanto 94-86 in the Oppo PBA Governors’ Cup yesterday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Painters was shorthanded. Raymond Almazan and Gabe Norwood were playing for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup in Beirut, Lebanon, while Anthony Washington remained sidelined due to a knee injury.
But help came in the form of 20 points and 10 rebounds from reinforcement J’Nathan Bullock, helping Rain or Shine bounce back from two straight defeats and post a 2-2 win-loss record.
Chris Tiu added 13 markers, i ncluding t hree 3- point conversions, while Beau Belga contributed 12 points before being tossed out in the third quarter due to a flagrant and technical foul.
Rain or Shine jumped to an early 8-2 lead on triples by
rt Bullock and Jewel Ponferrada. Kia quickly countered to snatch a 13- 8 lead before Painters surged ahead anew 21-17 on a Belga triple and back-to-back hits by Dexter Maiquez.
Painters’ lead swelled 42- 29 early in the second canto on triples by Belga, Tiu and Jerramy King but Picanto rallied to as close as 36- 42 before Painters extended the gap to eight at the half on a layup by Celedonio Trollano.
Kia once again threatened to within seven at the start of the second half but Painters had a quick response on baskets by Eduardo Daquioag and Ponferrada to stretch their lead to 67-52.
Painters built its largest lead 76-59 early in the fourth on a triple by Mark Borboran. Picanto made its last stand to come to within 82-87 until late hits by Tiu and Bullock sealed the win for Rain or Shine./