RAIN OR SHINE NEARS 2ND STRAIGHT FINALS STINT

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ONE facet of its game may be off-and-on but its defensive stance remained constant for Rain or Shine, enabling it to fashion an 83-74 win over San Mig Coffee Thursday to move within another victory of wrapping up their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals duel at the MOA Arena.

Gabe Norwood’s 14 points were enough to lead four Elasto Painters in double digits, but it was his charges making the necessary stops, especially in the stretch, that pointed them to their second straight win and a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.

“It became a defensive game and I have full trust on my team to play defense,” stated Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, specifically pointing out Jireh Ibanes and Ryan Arana who chiefly alternated on James Yap.

Now, Rain or Shine can realize a second straight finals appearance should it prevail anew Saturday.

“Big win for us,” noted Guiao. “Now we get three chances to make the finals and our plan is to finish it on Saturday. Habang nagtatagal delikado kami, kaya kung kayang tapusin tatapusin na namin.”

Reminded his E-Painters also got stretched to the full seven games in the Commissioner’s Cup finals despite a similar lead, Guiao said, “No predictions. That can very well happen if we become complacent, if we let our guards down. But we will make sure we are ready mentally the next game.”

Ronnie Matias and Chris Tiu came up big in stretches that also made up for an off-night for Paul Lee. Averaging 12.3 points in the first three games of the series, last year’s best rookie wound up with just two points on 1-for-7 shooting.

His last miss, a hurried and harried drive against a phalanx of defenders, prompted Guiao to take him out and bench him in the last 10:03 of the game.

Lee’s absence was hardly felt as Matias scored six of his eight points and grabbed four of his five rebounds in the deciding period while Tiu scored the game’s last six points off three successive stops made by the E-Painters.

“That’s how this team is built, players cover for each other. May mga bad days lang talaga,” said Guiao.

Main focus of Rain or Shine’s defense, Yap still wound up with 20 points but he bled for those on 2-for-17 field goal shooting.

PJ Simon added 15 points and Joe Devance 14 for San Mig Coffee, but the closest the Mixers could get after staring at a 36-54 third quarter deficit was at 74-77, following five straight points by Simon.

The Mixers even had the chance to move closer, but Mark Barroca missed a drive, Yap lost the ball and Devance muffed his own banked try inside the last 50 seconds.

It sure looked like Rain or Shine was headed for another win as lopsided as its 98-72 demolition job on Christmas Day when Arana and Norwood combined for all of the E-Painters’ points in a 14-4 attack opening up the third quarter that gave them a 54-36 spread.

Any hopes of a cruising win soon vanished when San Mig waged a gallant fightback capped by Devance’s back-to-back baskets that placed the Mixers within 62-66, still 7:53 left. (NC)

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