MANAMA, Bahrain – Rain or Shine assured itself of a top-two finish in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup elimination round following a 101-92 victory over a depleted Magnolia side on Monday night at Khalifa Sports City here.
The Elasto Painters seized control early and led by as many as 16 points in the third quarter before Gian Mamuyac and company put together a strong closing kick to secure their third straight win — and reclaim the No. 1 spot at 8-2.
Coach Yeng Guiao’s charges moved into the provisional lead after previously sharing the top spot with San Miguel (7-2), and will look to strengthen their bid to finish on top when they face Ginebra this Wednesday at the same venue.
But regardless of the outcome of that matchup, Rain or Shine has already locked up a coveted twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals set next week.
(C) PBA Images
“Importante talaga for us ’yung twice-to-beat,” the champion tactician told Tiebreaker Times. “Hindi ka naman makakapili — kahit sino makalaban mo, malakas pa rin. So it’s really good to have an advantage na twice-to-beat.”
Jhonard Clarito led Rain or Shine with 21 points and 11 rebounds, scoring 12 in the opening period alone as the Elasto Painters erased an early 3-6 deficit with an 18-10 run and stayed ahead the rest of the way.
Mamuyac finished with 14 points, half of which came in the final frame. There, he took matters into his own hands down the stretch to repel Magnolia’s last-ditch comeback attempt.
With the Hotshots closing within five in the final three minutes, the two-way specialist drilled a crucial three-pointer. He then converted a tough up-and-under layup to push Rain or Shine’s lead back to double digits, 101-91, with 1:42 remaining.
The three-point shot proved to be a major factor in the Elasto Painters’ triumph, as the squad knocked down 17 triples on 53.1-percent shooting.
Caelan Tiongson chipped in 14 points, while Adrian Nocum added 13 — six of which came in the fourth quarter — as he also played a key role in keeping Magnolia at bay.
“We’re developing a lot of character. We’re developing our resiliency,” Guiao said. “Iba-iba kasi ’yung sitwasyon ng mga panalo namin eh. Marami kaming panalong mahirap. At ’yun, nagpapatibay lang sa team ’yun.
“Kaya ’yung na-experience namin ngayong iba-ibang pagsubok, nakakapagpalakas ng samahan ng team, nagbibigay ng kumpiyansa. Sana madala namin ’yan sa playoffs,” added Guiao, whose wards tallied six steals and seven blocks.
(C) PBA Images
Mark Barroca scored 14 points to lead Magnolia, which struggled after losing two starters to injuries.
The Hotshots lost Jerom Lastimosa at the 5:35 mark of the first quarter due to an apparent ankle injury. Meanwhile, Paul Lee exited late in the second quarter after appearing to suffer a hamstring issue.
Both guards did not return, leaving coach LA Tenorio with a shortened rotation for the remainder of the contest, which could severely hamper Magnolia’s chances.
The loss dropped the Hotshots to 6-4, and they will look to keep their top-four hopes alive on the final day of the eliminations on Sunday, December 21, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Tip-off is set for 5:15 PM.
The Scores:
Rain or Shine 101 – Clarito 21, Mamuyac 14, Tiongson 14, Nocum 13, Pringle 9, Santillan 8, Porter 8, Caracut 4, Norwood 4, Malonzo 3, Belga 3, Ildefonso 0, Lemetti 0.
Magnolia 92 – Barroca 14, Alfaro 13, Gomez de Liano 12, Sangalang 10, Dela Rosa 10, Lucero 9, Lee 8, Koon 6, Verano 4, Laput 3, Lastimosa 3, Gomez 0.
Quarterscores: 27-24, 53-47, 81-69, 101-92.
