Rey Nambatac and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters did not waste their win-once edge in the 2019 PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals. They escorted the NorthPort Batang Pier to the exit doors, 91-85, Sunday evening at SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
Rain or Shine have booked the first slot in the semifinals following this win over a NortPort side, who missed the services of Sean Anthony due to a groin injury. RoS will now wait for the winner of the Magnolia-Ginebra series for their foes.
“Actually, we’re not even thinking of it because we still don’t know who we’re going to play,” said RoS head coach Caloy Garcia. “We’ll just probably think of how we played against NorthPort and on how we can still improve.”
“Because Ginebra and Magnolia are different types of teams – you have a big team and you have a quick team. So as of right now, we just want to enjoy the moment that we made it to the semis and get back to work on Tuesday.”
The young guns impressed in the semis-clinching victory, with Ed Daquioag leading the pack with 15 points on top of five rebounds and four assists. Rey Nambatac had 14 markers built on four treys with five boards as well.
Both Daquioag and Nambatac came off the bench for Rain or Shine.
“I just told the players any given time you just have to step up,” Garcia said. “We used a lot of bench players today and they contributed. I think the reason why we won is because everybody stepped up off the bench.”
The Elasto Painters seized control of the match late in the second frame, pulling off a 9-3 run to turn a four-point lead to a wide 43-33 advantage at the halftime break. They would then keep the Batang Pier at bay the rest of the way.
Rain or Shine would go on to lead by as many as 15, 89-74, after a Javee Mocon bucket with 4:08 left in the game.
The Batang Pier still tried to will themselves back into the match as they chopped the wide deficit to close within striking distance in the closing moments. Unfortunately, they could not put a string of buckets together, and bowed out.
Mo Tautuaa led NorthPort with 24 points and seven rebounds. Garvo Lanete chipped in 20 points, while Jonathan Grey chimed in 11 markers. Stanley Pringle fell short of a double-double with nine points and 11 rebounds with six dimes.
The Scores:
Rain or Shine 91 – Daquioag 15, Nambatac 14, Belga 13, Ponferada 8, Norwood 8, Mocon 8, Yap 7, Ahanmisi 5, Torres 5, Borboran 4, Rosales 4, Maiquez 0, Onwubere 0, Alejandro 0.
NorthPort 85 – Tautuaa 24, Lanete 20, Grey 11, Pringle 9, Taha 7, Bolick 5, Guinto 4, Flores 0, Gabayni 0, Sollano 0.
Quarterscores: 14-17, 43-33, 73-62, 91-85.
