RAIN or Shine went on a telling run inside the final two minutes to turn back TNT, 121-113, and forge a sudden death in their PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals series Sunday.
Jhonard Clarito hit a crucial three-pointer with 1:58 remaining to spark an 8-0 Elasto Painters blast that broke the game’s final deadlock and put the team in front for good, 119-111.
The win tied the best-of-three series at 1-1 heading to the deciding Game 3 this week.
Clarito finished with a career-high 29 points built on a perfect 5-of-5 shooting from three-point range. He also added six rebounds and four assists.
"Alam ninyo ang ganda ng kuwento nitong si Jhonard. Yung mga players na hindi pansinin. Akala nila ang mga puwedeng sumikat lang yung mga guwapo. Pero guwapo rin naman itong si Jhonard, eh," Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao teases the 28-year-old guard.
But kidding aside, he has nothing but praise for the De Ocampo Memorial College product.
"Pero hard-nosed player ito, blue-collar, masipag mag-practice. Very rugged siya, yun ang gusto ko, natural yung physical game niya."
Four other players finished with 20-plus points for the Elasto Painters, among them Andrei Caracut (21), rookie Adrian Nocum (20), and Leonard Santillan (20).
It was Santillan who tied the game for the last time at 111-all before Clarito teamed up with Caracut and Nocum for that back-breaking run that had Rain or Shine racing to a 119-111 lead with 1:16 remaining.
Roger Pogoy led TNT with 28 points, Jayson Castro had 17 points, six rebounds, and eight assists, while Kim Aurin and Glenn Khobuntin with 15 and 13, respectively.
Kelly Williams gave the Tropang Giga their last taste of the lead at 111-109 on a smashing one-handed, follow-up dunk off a Pogoy missed a three-pointer,
Meanwhile, after scoring 32 points in Game 1, gunner Calvin Oftana was held to just 11 points this time around on 3-of-14 shooting from the field.
The scores:
Rain or Shine (121) -- Clarito 29, Caracut 21, Nocum 20, Santillan 20, Mamuyac 12, Belga 6, Datu 6, Demusis 3, Norwood 2, Ildefonso 2, Asistio 0, Borboran 0.
TNT (113) -- Pogoy 28, Castro 17, Aurin 15, Oftana 11, K.Williams 11, Montalbo 5, B.Ganuelas-Rosser 5, Ponferrada 4, Varilla 4, Heruela 0, Galinato 0.
Quarterscores: 25-31; 62-64; 95-95; 121-113.
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