RAIN OR SHINE LEVELS SERIES ANEW
Rain or Shine received a Christmas gift from Calvin Abueva in the form of an ejection from a flagrant foul in a crucial moment as the Elasto Painters celebrated Christmas with a key win over the Alaska Aces in Game Four of their PBA Philippine Cup Final Four showdown at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Elasto Painters pounded the opening given by Abueva’s flagrant act and went on to repulse the Aces, 98-91, to draw level in their best-of-seven series at 2-2.
Abueva wasted their possession while they’re trailing at 89-92 inside the last two minutes as he sneaked in with what appeared to be a blow to Uyloan’s body.
After a thorough review of the slow-motion video of the incident, the game officials slapped Abueva a flagrant foul penalty 2 that caused his automatic ejection from the game.
Commissioner Chito Salud is expected to make his own review to see if Abueva’s action would also merit a game suspension.
“It’s a good Christmas gift to ourselves. We struggled for three quarters but we gathered in the fourth. We stayed tough though they had the lead most of the way,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.
“We wanted to win this one, and we were also helped by the stupid move of Abueva,” Guiao added.
After Abueva’s infraction, Uyloan split from the stripe then set up Gabe Norwood for a trey as the E-Painters stretched their lead to 96-89 with time down to 1:25.
The Aces failed to recover from Abueva’s cheap shot and missed a chance to move to within a game of the Finals.
Alaska and Rain or Shine are now engaged in a race-to-two-games affair, disputing the go-ahead win at 5 p.m. Saturday at the same venue.
“It’s now a best of three, and Game Five is the most important,” said Guiao.
Down by 11 late in the third period, the E-Painters mounted a chase anchored on three-point snipings by Chris Tiu, Jeff Chan and JR Quinahan, catching up at 80 with 7:20 left to play.
As Paul Lee, Jervy Cruz, Raymond Almazan and Uyloan also fired away key buckets, Rain or Shine surged ahead at 86-82.
Then the E-Painters were just holding a shaky 92-89 lead when Abueva aided their cause.
Chan fired five three-pointers and a personal conference high total of 25 points while Norwood, Tiu and Beau Belga added double-digit ouputs.
Tiu had 2-of-3 clips from beyond the arc and from the two-point area for 10 points in his return from injury.
Alaska ace center Sonny Thoss also delivered a personal conference best of 25 points on top of 12 rebounds, one assist and one block, but fouled out with over three minutes left to play.
Abueva looked headed to a double-double game of his own – or possibly even a triple-double – before drawing his banishment. He had 14 points, seven rebounds and six assists. (SB)
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