Rain or Shine needs just one more win to march to PBA semis
Games today
Araneta Coliseum
5:15 p.m.- Air21 vs. Talk ‘N Text
7:30 p.m.- San Mig Coffee vs. Petron
THE Rain or Shine Elasto Painters finally nailed one against the Barangay Ginebra Kings, scoring an easy 82-65 win at the start of their best-of-three quarterfinal series of the 38th PBA Philippine Cup last night at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 17-point rout was somewhat surprising considering that the Painters were swept by the Kings in their two meetings in the elimination round.
Scoring one against Ginebra came at the most opportune time for the Rain or Shine as it moved a game away from advancing to the semifinal round.
Forward Jervy Cruz continued his fine play for the Painters with reigning Player of the Week awardee tallying a team-high 14 points.
The Painters had an easy dispatching of the Kings despite the anemic performance of gunner Jeff Chan, who scored just one point and missed all of his eight attempts from the field.
Rain or Shine hardly felt Chan’s struggle as aside from Cruz, three other Painters scored in double figures. There were also five Rain or Shine players who added at least six points each.
Paul Lee, playing his second game after missing several games due to a shoulder injury, tallied 11 points while Beau Belga also had the same output on top of 10 rebounds.
Rain or Shine’s stingy defense shackled Ginebra’s main weapons with Mark Caguioa and LA Tenorio who both averaged 20 markers per game in the elimination round badly missing their respective averages.
Caguioa scattered just 16 points, while Tenorio could only score six points.
Caguioa went four-for-13 from the field, while Tenorio shot just two-for-seven.
BOX SCORES
RAIN OR SHINE (82)- Cruz 14, Lee 11, Belga 11, Matias 9, Norwood 8, Rodriguez 8, Quinahan 8, Tiu 6, Tang 6, Chan 1, Uyloan 0, Jaime 0, Araña 0.
GINEBRA (65)- Caguioa 16, Jensen 13, Ellis 7, Tenorio 6, Hatfield 6, Maliksi 5, Espiritu 5, Helterbrand 3, Taha 2, Maierhofer 2, Labagala 0, Wilson 0, Mamaril 0, Wilson 0. QUARTERSCORES: 18-15, 39-29, 61-40, 82-65.
