Rain or Shine outlasted Magnolia in a game of runs between grind-out teams, 102-100, to extend its winning streak to three games in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup on Wednesday evening at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Elasto Painters lost a double-digit lead and stared at an 89-100 deficit with 6:05 remaining in the game, but managed to get their groove back behind Deon Thompson, Andrei Caracut, and Adrian Nocum to regain the upper hand.
Nocum himself capped off the 13-0 run for the lead and the eventual final score, and they went on to survive numerous threats by their more experienced opponents as the latter couldn’t buy a bucket since reaching the century mark.
A miss by Jerom Lastimosa from the four-point area at the final buzzer officially enabled RoS to improve to 3-1, joining Meralco at third in the standings.
“We just got lucky, actually. But gusto ko ‘yung pinakita naming laban,” said Coach Yeng Guiao. “Ang ganda ng balik namin. Nabalikan pa namin ‘yun. Kung yung dating team namin ‘yun, ‘pag nag-collapse na, hindi na nakakabalik.”
Thompson top-scored for Rain or Shine with 18 points and 15 rebounds as he bucked a slow start. Santi Santillan made 17 points, spiked by four treys.
Caracut finished with 15 points, earning Player of the Game honors as he scored 10 of his output in the fourth quarter alone — including the booming four-pointer that tied the game up at 100-all with 3:51 to go.
Caelan Tiongson had 11 points while Nocum added 10 for the Elasto Painters as they once again beat the team it eliminated back in the Season 49 Governors’ Cup quarterfinals to book their second straight semis trip.
RoS will shoot for its fourth win in a row when it takes on the 0-6 Terrafirma on Sunday, December 22, 5 p.m. at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.
Leading Magnolia, meanwhile, was Ricardo Ratliffe with 27 points and 13 rebounds yet his efforts weren’t enough to end their struggles.
The loss was already the Hotshots’ fourth in a row and fell to 1-4, their worst start in a conference since starting at 1-4 also back in the 2019 Philippine Cup although they went to the Finals before bowing to San Miguel in seven.
Ian Sangalang made 21 points while Mark Barroca supplied 18 points in the defeat that spoiled the return of Paul Lee and Zav Lucero from injuries.
Up next for Coach Chito Victolero and Co. will be NLEX on Friday, December 20, 7 p.m. at the Philsports Arena as well, hoping of course to finally snap out of their funk as they face a team that’s in the midst of a two-game skid.
The Scores:
Rain or Shine 102 – Thompson 18, Santillan 17, Caracut 15, Tiongson 11, Nocum 10, Belga 7, Calrito 6, Datu 6, Lemetti 5, Malonzo 4, Asistio 2, Ildefonso 1.
Magnolia 100 – Ratliffe 27, Sangalang 21, Barroca 18, Lucero 11, Abueva 8, Lee 4, Dionisio 4, Ahanmisi 4, Dela Rosa 2, Lastimosa 1, Laput 0.
Quarterscores: 31-23, 50-47, 81-78, 102-100.
