The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters started the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup on the right foot, as they overcame the gutsy Alaska Aces in a bout that needed an extra five minutes, 109-103, Friday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
“It’s a good start for us this conference,” said Elasto Painters head coach Caloy Garcia. “Yun nga lang, may defensive lapses. And ang daming mali — errors, turnovers, and in the end we were giving too much offensive boards.”
Burly import Reggie Johnson impressed in his PBA debut with 32 points and 22 rebounds. along with four assists, for Rain or Shine. Chris Tiu supplied 18 markers and six dimes, while Maverick Ahanmisi and Raymond Almazan scored 11 each.
“The nice thing is Chris stepped up today, Beau [Belga] stepped up, and even JK Casino,” lauded Garcia. “But we need more effort from the other guys.
The Elasto Painters already had a 13-point lead, 76-63, with 9:52 in the fourth quarter, but the Aces turned things around through a 16-2 rally — ended by Jvee Casio’s trey — to snatch the lead, 79-78, with 6:51 remaining.
Things then became bleaker for Rain or Shine afterwards, when Antonio Campbell took over for Alaska from the 4:08-mark onward, scoring 10 markers to give the Milkmen a 91-90 edge with 37.3 ticks left.
Johnson cleaned up a missed three-pointer in response, and teammate Maverick Ahanmisi made a breakaway lay-up wih 2.9 seconds to go to lift the Elasto Painters to a 94-91 lead for a much better cushioning.
But that lead was wasted, as Chris Banchero made a booming trey — off a long inbound pass by Campbell — at the buzzer to force overtime.
Signs of another OT showed in the extra time as Alaska wiped out a six-point lead and closed within two, 103-105, thanks to Campbell’s trey with 20.6 seconds, but Ahanmisi scored off a steal with 2.9 ticks left to put the Aces away for good.
James Yap chipped in 10 markers for Rain or Shine.
The Aces’ loss wasted the effort the debuting Antonio Campbell, who had 40 markers and 20 boards along with five assists and two blocks. Calvin Abueva was a rebound short of a double-double, as he had 19 points and nine caroms.
Vic Manuel supplied 12 markers.
Both teams will play on Sunday, April 29, still at the Big Dome. Alaska will play in the 4:30 PM curtain-raiser versus the Blackwater Elite, while Rain or Shine will battle the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the 6:45 PM main event.
The Scores:
Rain or Shine 109 — Johnson 32, Tiu 18, Ahanmisi 11, Almazan 11, Yap 10, Belga 9, Daquioag 6, Ponferrada 5, Norwood 4, Casiño 3, Washington 0.
Alaska 103 — Campbell 40, Abueva 19, Manuel 12, Casio 8, Thoss 8, Racal 7, Banchero 3, Baclao 2, Enciso 2, Teng 2, Exciminiano 0.
Quarterscores: 23-16, 45-39, 69-61, 94-94, 109-103.
