Rain or Shine survived a late San Miguel rally, winning 100-98, to remain undefeated in the PBA On Tour on Wednesday night at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.
Down by 10 with less than two minutes remaining, Allyn Bulanadi scored five points in a quick 8-0 run, helping the Beermen narrow the gap to just two points, 98-100, with 38 seconds left in the game.
San Miguel made a defensive stop on the other end, with Terrence Romeo locking up Rey Nambatac in the dying seconds of the Elasto Painters’ possession. However, Romeo’s shot was blocked by Gabe Norwood in the subsequent play, returning the ball to Rain or Shine.
Anton Asistio missed two free throws with 0.6 seconds remaining, giving San Miguel one last chance to win the game. Unfortunately, Bulanadi missed a badly off-target corner three-pointer, securing the win for the Elasto Painters and pushing them to a 3-0 record in the standings.
“Pinaganda lang namin yung laro,” quipped Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao, acknowledging that his team squandered a 20-point advantage gained in the first half. “But seriously, I think we started with really intense energy. Our pace was good.
“However, in the second half, we somewhat lost steam, so it’s all about consistency. We need to sustain our pace and energy. Also, Bulanadi and Terrence just played really well,” added the seasoned tactician.
Jhonard Clarito made the most of his 25 minutes on the court, finishing with a team-high 17 points on 8-of-11 shooting from the field, along with three assists and a steal. Gian Mamuyac contributed 14 points.
Mac Belo made his debut wearing a Rain or Shine jersey and ended the game with five points, four rebounds, and two assists.
Rain or Shine will next face Terrafirma on Sunday at 5:00 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
On the other hand, Bulanadi scored 31 points, including five three-pointers, while Terrence Romeo finished with 25 points for the Beermen, who slipped to a 2-2 record in the standings.
San Miguel will take on Meralco in Tiaong, Quezon on Saturday, also at 5:00 p.m.
The Scores:
Rain or Shine 100 – Clarito 17, Mamuyac 14, Santillan 12, Ponferrada 11, Asistio 9, Demusis 8, Ildefonso 8, Nambatac 7, Belo 5, Caracut 4, Norwood 0
San Miguel 98 –Bulanadi 31, Romeo 25, Tautuaa 14, Brondial 9, Lee 6 , De Vera 5, Saldua 4, Baclao 2, Apacible 2, Faundo 0
Quarterscores: 33-23, 60-40, 79-70, 100-98
