Even after they lost to the Alaska Aces on Wednesday afternoon at the Upper Deck Sports Center in Pasig, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters still got the job done and were heralded as the 2017 PBA Preseason Games champions.
The Elasto Painters tied with Phoenix Fuel Masters with a 2-1 card, but the former still managed to get away with the championship, as they defeated the latter last Monday, obviously the win-over-the-other rule in effect.
The Milkmen fielded a balanced attack in the 110-97 victory, with Calvin Abueva leading them with 19 points. Jeron Teng made 15 points.
Ronald Pascual and Vic Manuel each had 12 points, while Simon Enciso chipped in 11.
Alaska led by double figures in the game’s majority, only to allow the Elasto Painters to storm back in the fourth quarter and trim their wide lead to just two possessions, 99-95, after Jeremy King’s trey with 5:02 left.
The Aces, however, proved to be too much to handle, unloading 11 straight points — capped by Vic Manuel’s freebies — to impose a 110-95 lead and finish their counterparts once and for all, to end the tourney with a 1-2 record.
The preseason kings were led by sophomore Ed Daquioag with 18 points. Maverick Ahanmisi and Chris Tiu scored 13 apiece, while Gabe Norwood supplied 10 markers along with five rebounds and three assists.
In the first game of Wednesday’s double-header, the Phoenix Fuel Masters had to ward off a gutsy NLEX Road Warriors to get away with a 111-104 triumph, sending the Yeng Guiao-mentored squad to back-to-back losses.
Five players scored in double-figures for Phoenix, with rookie Jason Perkins starring with 21 points. Jeffrei Chan had 17 points; Justin Chua and Matthew Wright each scored 15; while LA Revilla finished with 12 markers.
After NLEX forced an 89-all deadlock with 7:16 to go in the payoff period, Phoenix responded with a 12-2 run — ended by Wright’s triple — en route to a 101-91 lead with 4:03 left to play to finally silence the Road Warriors.
Larry Fonacier led NLEX with 18 points. Frontcourt veterans Raul Soyud and JR Quiñahan provided 15 and 12 markers, respectively, and combined for 23 rebounds. Kiefer Ravena produced 10 points.
The Scores:
First game:
Phoenix (111) – Perkins 21, Chan 17, Wright 15, Chua 15, Revilla 12, Jazul 8, Alolino 8, Kramer 7, Guevarra 3, Intal Dehesa 2, Wilson 1, Eriobu 0, Cortes 0.
NLEX (104) – Fonacier 18, Soyud 15, Quiñahan 12, Ravena 10, Tiongson 9, Ighalo 9, Baguio 9, Miranda 8, Al-Hussaini 6, Uyloan 3, Buenafe 2, Gotladera 2, Taulava 1, Villanueva 0, Monfort 0, Rios 0.
Second game:
Alaska (110) – Abueva 19, Teng 15, Manuel 12, Pascual 12, Enciso 11, Cruz 10, Galliguez 8, Potts 8, Casio 7, Pascual 6, Magat 2.
Rain or Shine (97) – Daquioag 18, Ahanmisi 13, Tiu 13, Norwood 10, Belga 9, Ponferrada 8, Maiquez 8, Casiño 6, Matias 4, King 3, Borboran 3, Trollano 2, Nambatac 0.
