PERFECT TIME TO SHINE
With its back against the wall on Monday, Rain or Shine needed a spark, and the Elasto Painters found one in a player who’s more known for his defensive prowess than his scoring.
Gabe Norwood came through for ROS, starring in a crippling second quarter tear that gave the E-Painters a 53-33 bubble.
Again, in the fourth quarter, with San Mig Super Coffee knocking once again on the E-Painters’ doors with a late-game fightback, it was Norwood who doused the flame with an and-one play with seven minutes to go, preserving a 10-point lead as the squad went on cruise control for the remainder of the match.
Norwood finished with 14 points, nine in the second, on 5-of-10 shooting from the field. He also had six rebounds in the victory.
“We need it. That’s all it takes, to see the ball go in to the basket, try to stay aggressive,” Norwood said.
“We really just helped AZ (Reid). He carried us to this far, and it’s about time we step up for him.”
Contrary to the idea that they’re playing with more pressure, Norwood bared that the Elasto Painters aren’t really caught up with the whole situation, and it also helped them that they aren’t dealing with the pressure of winning a Grand Slam.
“Its actually less pressure,” he said. “Its harder to close out the series than to just go out there and play. As long as we play hard, there’s not much we could say. We’re in a hole, and if we would’ve lost today, we’re still gonna have our heads up high the way we played tonight.”
With the win, the proverbial momentum is definitely on the side of the E-Painters going to the title-clincher, but Norwood said, “The momentum is with us now and it would die down tomorrow. We’ll start even on Wednesday. We’ll enjoy this for a little bit and hopefully, the momentum carries over to the beginning of the game.”
It also helps that Rain or Shine is channeling memories of its 2012 Governors’ Cup conquest over the then-B-Meg, as they won the game in seven grueling games.
“It replays in my head every once in a while,” Norwood said.
“I can only imagine the atmosphere. The competition and the players might be different, but it’s the same game and we got to come out and hopefully, it ends up with the same outcome.” (RL)
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