ANTIPOLO – Andrei Caracut took charge in the endgame as Rain or Shine finished off Magnolia, 113-103, and advanced to the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup semifinals, Saturday night at the Ynares Center here.
The 28-year-old playmaker finished with 14 points, scoring eight of the Elasto Painters’ last 12 points of the game as the youth-laden crew showed maturity beyond their years to complete the comeback after being down by 12 early.
He first scored six straight, all of which were near the shaded area, to push their lead to 107-101 after the opposition knocked within just a field goal.
Then came the free throws with 24.2 seconds remaining to push their lead to 111-101, all but sealing the deal before Jhonard Clarito came through with the insurance buckets from the charity stripe with 18.7 ticks left to play.
Eventually, all of Rain or Shine would erupt in jubilation as it not only took down a more veteran side, but also booked its second semis trip in a row after reaching the said stage back in the 2024 Philippine Cup.
Top-scoring for the Elasto Painters was Aaron Fuller as he finished with a game-high 26 points and nine rebounds as he helped overhaul the early deficit.
