RAIN OR SHINE HANDS KIA ANOTHER BLOWOUT LOSS
RAIN or Shine is steadily recovering the lethal form that carried it to two finals the previous season and in the last two Philippine Cups.
The Elasto Painters displayed this by carving a methodical 117-88 manhandling of hapless Kia Wednesday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Paul Lee showed no ill effects of the hyperextended knee he suffered right in Rain or Shine’s first game as he came off the bench to score a game-high 22 points while five teammates submitted at least 10 points each.
In all, Lee and TY Tang accounted for seven of the team’s total 10 triples, five days after the E-Painters went a league-worst 0-for-25 in their last outing, a come-from-behind 82-75 decision over Blackwater last Friday, as they moved up to fifth-running spot on a 2-1 win-loss record.
“We started the conference slow in our first two games,” admitted Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao.
“We’re just trying to regain our chemistry, our confidence and this is the best way to do it, I guess,” added Guiao. “We played with a lot of energy and we were able to sustain our energy level. That was our problem in our first two games. We had bursts of energy but we couldn’t sustain those.
“Today we were able to do it for four quarters. I hope this is a good way to prepare for our next game against Talk ‘N Text on Sunday.”
The loss was the second blowout loss for Kia, which was coming off a 55-87 drubbing from Barangay Ginebra in Lucena last Saturday, dropping it to 1-2 and a tie for eighth spot with idle Talk ‘N Text.
Reil Cervantes scored 18 points, rookie Alvin Padilla 17 and Rudy Lingganay and LA Revilla scored 10 apiece as the Sorento also received a pre-game inspirational talk via mobile phone from playing coach Manny Pacquiao.
All those went for naught against a Rain or Shine team that completely shredded Kia’s defense by making 41 of 69 field goals while limiting the Sorento to a 32-for-85 shooting from the floor.
Guiao said his team falling into a false sense of security was his main concern going into the game.
“Kia and (fellow expansion team) Blackwater are not weak teams, as evidenced by their last games. They can pull off surprises. They can steal wins against any team,” stated Guiao, whose team trailed by as many as 15 points against the Elite.
“Before the game our main concern was not to let complacency creep in. These teams are stronger than they look.”
He need not have worried.
Rain or Shine got off to an 8-0 start capped by a Tang trey just 39 seconds into the game, steadily padded that to double figures and even posted a 117-86 spread, the biggest of the game.
Kia’s most noteworthy stand came early in the third when it trimmed what was once a 13-point halftime deficit to eight.
Lee came in at the 2:48 mark of the third period and readily quashed whatever hopes Kia may have had by scattering 11 points. By the time he came out with still 7:48 to go, Rain or Shine was ahead by 98-89. (NC)
The scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 117 – Lee 22, Belga 16, Tang 15, Cruz Jericho 12, Teng 12, Cruz Jervy 12, Uyloan 10, Quinahan 6, Almazan 6, Ibanes 4, Chan 2, Norwood 0.
KIA 88 – Cervantes 18, Padilla 17, Revilla 10, Lingganay 10, Thiele 7, Dehesa 4, Alvarez 4, Pascual 4, Raymundo 4, Buensuceso 3, Alonzo 2, Saldua 2, Burtscher 2, Ighalo 1, Bagatsing 0.
Quarterscores: 36-25, 59-46, 81-65, 117-88
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