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Not even a super storm produced by Jayson Castro could stop Rain or Shine from finally pulling one over Talk n Text in playoff matches in the last two years.
With their unwavering spirit, the Elasto Painters overcame Castro’s 44-point explosion and a 17-point first-half deficit in pulling off a stirring 116-108 win in Game Two of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Friday night.
Wayne Chism outclassed Ivan Johnson with Paul Lee, Ryan Araña and Jireh Ibañes putting in tremendous help as the E-Painters worked on an amazing final half fightback to avenge their 92-99 loss in the series opener Wednesday.
The E-Painters spoiled the great Jayson Castro show and pumped up their morale going to Game Three on Sunday also at the Big Dome.
“That win just gave us great confidence,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.
“We just tied the series. We’re just back to square one. But we pulled off something that really boosted our confidence,” Guiao pointed out.
“If you can survive a big onslaught from a great team like Talk n Text, a 27-point first half output from Jayson Castro, overcome a 17-point deficit and win, you get the confidence that you can play with the best,” Guiao added.
From a 17-point deficit at 41-58, the E-Painters refused to give up, made a 27-point turnaround and went on to beat the Texters for the first time after being swept in their 2013 Philippine Cup Finals and 2014 Commissioner’s Cup semis.
“At halftime, I was just telling the guys to weather the storm, stay in the game, stay tough and work hard. They did just that,” said Guiao.
“I have to give credit to the guys. They just fought back from that big deficit. It’s just the mental toughness of the guys that got us the win,” Guiao also said, making special mention of Ibañes.
The lone remnant of the original RoS team in 2006, Ibañes put up a great rescue job laced with 12 points, five rebounds, one steal and one block.
With one clutch play after another, Ibañes played through the crunch, teaming up with Chism and Lee in beating the Texters at the finish.
Rain or Shine scored the game’s first seven points before Talk n Text made the next seven, and the two teams fought through two deadlocks and seven lead changes until the Castro-led Texters peeled away from a seesawing contest.
But the E-Painters came back into the fight just in the next quarter, seizing the lead, 85-84, going into the final canto.
The E-Painters stepped up their own romp at the start of the quarter and roared on to negate Castro’s super explosive game.
Castro put up the biggest output by any player in a Finals game since Allan Caidic’s 48 in 1987. And the TNT dynamo highlighted his game with nine three-point bombs — the most by any player in a Finals match since Sonny Jaworski’s eight in Game Two of the 1980 Open Conference finals between Toyota and U/Tex.
Averaging 18.8 points, Castro poured in 27 just in the first half, including 14 that fueled Talk n Text’s second-quarter breakaway.
Castro rattled in four straight triples upon his return to the floor midway through the second period, touching off their key romp from 37-39 down.
In 5:44 of action in the second canto, Castro went 5-of-8 from the field and also got three rebounds, two assists and two steals. (SB)
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