Rain or Shine earns return trip to finals by booting out San Mig Coffee in PBA PH Cup

Game today:

Cuneta Astrodome

6:45 p.m.- Talk ’N Text vs. Alaska

by Calvin D. Cordova

Editorial Assistant

A conference after winning their first-ever title, the Rain or Shine will contend for the championship again.

The Painters earned a trip back to the finals by hacking out a 90-83 win over the San Mig Coffee Mixers in Game 6 of their best-of-seven semifinal series of the 38th PBA Philippine Cup last night at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Winning the series, 4-2, the Painters will shoot for their second crown after winning last season’s Governors’ Cup.

They will wait for the winner of the other semifinal series between the defending champions Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters and the Alaska Aces.

Game 6 of that series will be played today with the Texters leading, 3-2.

Jeff Chan keyed the Painters’ victory, coming off the bench to score a team-high 27 points.

“The players showed heart. They really wanted to be in the finals,” said Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao, who is gunning for his first-ever All-Filipino title in his 11th finals appearance.

Peter June Simon led San Mig with a game-high 29 points but his backcourt partner James Yap struggled for just six markers.

Yap was just two-for-13 from the field and likewise struggled from the free throw line, where he went just one-for-seven.

Rain or Shine broke the game’s 10th and last tie with a crucial run early in the fourth.

The Painters scored six straight points–four of them coming after offensive rebounds–to take the lead for good, 80-73.

Typifying its rebounding dominance, Rain or Shine collared three offensive rebounds in a crucial play that led to free throws by Beau Belga to pad its lead to 82-84.

A turnover by Yap in the next play led to an easy layup by Chan as Rain or Shine surged comfortably ahead, 84-73, with 4:27 left.