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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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04
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19
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
04
19
2024
Chalk up another Finals stint for Rain or Shine.
The Elasto Painters finished off an undermanned Meralco squad, 107-98, to sweep their PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-five semifinal series Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“We made the Finals with just being lucky,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao. “We know our guys tried hard, and we know we made our effort.”
BPC contender Paul Lee scattered 23 points, six assists, and three rebounds in the winning effort, while Wayne Chism pounced on a depleted Meralco frontline with his 16-point, 11-rebound and seven assist performance.
Guiao praised his key cogs, saying, “Paul has been consistent all conference. Also, our import came in at the right time. We only lost one game with Chism. He just proved that we made the right decision in bringing him in and getting him back from last year.”
Even without Josh Davis, who injured his left shoulder in their last game, the Bolts held their fort. They trailed by 19 early but bounced back into the game behind booming long-range bombs. They even led by five, 62-57, midway in the third before a 9-0 E-Painters run led to a decisive tear that gave Rain or Shine the lead for good.
“We got a really big break with their import not being able to play. It’s just too bad that they really had a chance in this series and the scores don’t reflect how hard this series was for us. We had adjustments, we had to keep ourselves tough throughout the whole series,” said Guiao. “They will be a better team next year or next conference just with the experience they had in this playoffs.”
Davis missed the game after aggravating his already hyperextended right shoulder on a collision back in the third quarter of Game 2. He suited up in uniform but wore an arm-sling on the bench.
Jared Dillinger was also out of the series after incurring an MCL tear in Game 1.
“It certainly took something out of it. We would’ve wanted them to play with their import and battle it out just like what we’ve had in the last two games, but things happen. Things just don’t go your way sometimes. It happened to us before, where we got players injured, but that’s part of the mystery of basketball,” Guiao said.
With Rain or Shine entering the Finals this conference, the fiery coach is happy with the improvement they’ve shown.
“This is an improvement of our accomplishment last year. We were in the semifinals in the same conference last year but we couldn’t get past the semifinals. Now, we just need to wait and prepare for the result of the other series, but having finished the series earlier, I think those extra days of rest is going to be very helpful going into the Finals,” said Guiao, as the franchise achieved its first best-of-five sweep since entering the league in 2006.
Cliff Hodge led Meralco with 20 points and 13 rebounds, while Mark Macapagal also scored 20.
Reynel Hugnatan also carried the cudgels for the Bolts’ bigs with his 19 markers. (RL)
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