TIU, NORWOOD-LED RAIN OR SHINE NOTCHES FIFTH STRAIGHT WIN
FOR the longest time Rain or Shine could not find any answer to Globalport’s zone defense.
Until Chris Tiu and Gabe Norwood provided the solution and enabled the Elasto Painters to notch a 103-95 victory Friday that kept their streak going in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Tiu’s highlighted his career-high 16 points with a 10-point fourth quarter, capped by a clutch triple that firmed up Rain or Shine’s shaky lead and helped to fully quash the Globalport threat.
It was the fifth straight win in six games overall for the Elasto Painters, tying the longest in franchise history which they recorded in last season’s Philippine Cup and assuring them of solo second-running spot.
Norwood lent a big hand with 11 of his 13 points in the decisive canto that helped turn back the Batang Pier who came charging back from 20 points down.
“We really got a scare in the second half,” admitted Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao. “We kind of relaxed when we got the big lead. We’re also lucky that their import didn’t make that much of a contribution, but their locals were really doing well.”
Gary David scored a game-high 23 points, Sol Mercado 18 and eight assists, Willie Miller bounced back from a scoreless game with 13 markers and nine rebounds and Jondan Salvador notched 11 points and eight boards.
Japeth Aguilar and freshly-reactivated William Antonio had 10 points apiece, but Justin Williams only had six points and 10 rebounds and was not utilized at all in the game’s last 17 minutes.
A replacement, Walter Sharpe, is reportedly set to plane in later Friday evening and should be ready for the Batang Pier’s next game against Air21 Sunday.
Things could have gone differently and Globalport would have avoided a fourth straight loss that dropped it to a 2-5 slate had the 6-9 former Detroit Piston arrived in time for the Rain or Shine game.
Williams may have sealed his fate when Rain or Shine’s first basket of the game swished up and through the net after his missed defensive rebound, the ball bouncing off his head and credited to E-Painters counterpart Bruno Sundov, who wound up with 17 points and 15 boards.
Despite Williams’ sidelining Globalport still put up a gallant stand, patiently chipping away at a deficit that once stood at 55-35 through a Ronnie Matias triple opening up the third period.
Before Rain or Shine knew it, Globalport has whittled the deficit to just 69-73 going to the fourth period and even took the lead at 89-88, off David’s fourth triple of the match, still 4:18 left.
“We really had some difficulties with their zone (defense). They used it from the third quarter up to the fourth. Lucky for us we hit some three-point shots in time to save this game for us,” said Guiao.
“We had a hard time and couldn’t stop their run. We had some defensive lapses. The reason why we got the lead we were playing good defense. But we relaxed with our defense and that was the time they got their run. We couldn’t stop them after that.”
Jervy Cruz had a follow-up to give Rain or Shine back the lead and added a baseline jumper later on, but Norwood’s triple made it a 93-89 count and Tiu’s own trey countered William Antonio’s to push the lead back up to 96-92, 1:03 to go.
Antonio completed a three-point play but Norwood answered with his own to make it a safe 101-95 count before Tiu sealed scoring with a pair of charities.
It was not the kind of ending expected of a game which had Sundov leading Rain or Shine’s early charge and Cruz taking over in the second that steadily plucked the E-Painters from a 14-12 count and into a 52-35 halftime lead. (NC)
The scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 103 – Sundov 17, Tiu 16, Cruz 15, Norwood 13, Ibanes 9, Quinahan 7, Matias 6, Tang 6, Rodriguez 6, Lee 5, Belga 3, Arana 0.
GLOBALPORT 95 – David 23, Mercado 18, Miller 13, Salvador 11, Aguilar 10, Antonio 10, Williams 6, Lingganay 2, Yee 2, Belencion 0, Crisano 0.
Quarterscores: 23-17, 52-35, 73-69, 103-95
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