RAIN OR SHINE BAGS 1ST FINALS SPOT
After yielding 52 huge points in the first half, Rain or Shine clobbered San Mig Coffee with a gung-ho game in the second half, pulling off a 90-83 win to clinch the first slot in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals at the MOA Arena in Pasay City Thursday night.
The Elasto Painters beat the Mixers badly on hustle plays, cashing in heavily on their domination of the boards as they bundled James Yap and company out in a playoff series for the second straight conference.
Coach Yeng Guiao and his troops eased the Mixers out in six games, thus, securing the first slot in the title playoff either against back-to-back defending champion Talk n Text or Alaska Milk.
“I’m glad it’s over. I was just telling the guys we have to win it tonight or we would be in trouble in Game Seven,” said Guiao.
“Jeff (Chan) and Paul (Lee) came to life when we really needed them,” said Guiao making special mention of the two who stepped up as they foiled the Mixers’ attempt to force a do-or-die setto.
Chan dished out his best game in the series, erupting for 27 points while Lee produced all-around numbers of 15 points, five rebounds, four assists and one steal as RoS repeated its Governors Cup finals conquest of coach Tim Cone and his chargers.
“We had a simple game plan – keep running the whole game, keep the pace fast, make them work chasing us. And it worked,” said Guiao. “We did just that in the first half but they still led. Fortunately, they did tire out in the second half.”
The Elasto Painters held the Mixers down to 31 points in the final half, making their most decisive move on an 11-to-nothing tear that opened an 84-73 lead for RoS with 4:27 left to play.
The E-Painters punished the Mixers with much hustle plays, winning the rebounding battle, 62-48, and second-chance points at 28-5.
For the record, the E-Painters are 8-0 in the conference while outrebounding an opponent. And they did better than the Mixers on board work in all their four victories in the semis.
With the win, Rain or Shine is now on line for a rare back-to-back championships and Guiao having a crack at nailing an elusive all-Filipino title.
Guiao happens to be the winningest PBA coach without a Philippine Cup championship. He’s got six titles in import-laced tourneys.
“Maybe,” said Guiao when asked if he thinks he has a good chance to finally get it.
“We’re coming off a championship that contributed to our mental strength. We’re tougher in this conference. We have the momentum and our bench is healthy,” he pointed out.
Chan, who averaged only 11.2 points in the series, came through with his second biggest output in the conference last night on 10-of-22 field shooting.
Jervy Cruz and Gabe Norwood added double-digit outputs for the E-Painters who, on the other end of the floor, threw tough defensive faces on San Mig main man James Yap, limiting him to six markers.
Yap scored his first basket just before the second quarter ended, nailing a three-pointer off an outstretched arm of Jireh Ibanes as the Mixers took the half at 52-48.
It was San Mig Coffee’s highest first-half output in the series after making only 38 points each in the first two games, 32 apiece in the next two games and 31 in the fifth match.
The Mixers enjoyed the upper hand most of the first half with PJ Simon stepping up with 18 points to compensate for Yap’s mere three-point production.
Yap had missed his first six field attempts and committed three turnovers before making his first conversion.
The Mixers led by seven points in one instance in the first half marred by four technical fouls.
Simon, Chris Tiu and JR Quinahan were whistled a “T” each in an exchange where the refs had to separate the protagonists after the San Mig guard knocked down Tiu with a head-butt to the stomach. (SB)
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