RAIN or Shine showed NLEX how Yeng Guiao’s offense should be done as it added to the frustrations of the Road Warriors with a 107-97 victory in their PBA Philippine Cup matchup on Friday night at the Philsports Arena.
The Elasto Painters actually saw the Road Warriors flash glimpses of fluidity early on before they finally executed better down the stretch – just enough to pull away late for the win.
Jericho Cruz scored the E-Painters’ last six points after Jewel Ponferrada and Jeff Chan sparked the late surge as they gained a piece of second spot with Blackwater and TNT Katropa.
The E-Painters also dealt the Road Warriors their fifth straight loss after starting their first season with Guiao with a win.
“We already expected it to be hard game,” new RoS coach Caloy Garcia said. “Syempre bagong team ni coach Yeng and they wanted to win it for him.”
“It was an ugly win for us,” he added. “We still have to learn how to move the ball, kasi ang dami naming lapses especially nung una.”
After all, the E-Painters fell behind early and by as many as 12 points, letting Jansen Rios put up a career-high 20 points and Kevin Alas wax hot in the third quarter where he buried four triples and scored all but two of his 17 points.
RoS finally bucked down to work in the final frame where they outscored the Road Warriors, 27-12, to add to their misery.
Ponferrada registered a career-high of 22 points and missed a double-double by just one rebound on top of two blocks, two assists, and one steal, while Cruz added 19 markers, six rebounds, and four assists.
Jeff Chan chipped in 16 points built around three treys, while James Yap and Gabe Norwood also finished in double-figure scoring for the E-Painters.
Sean Anthony delivered another workmanlike performance for NLEX with a team-high 22 points, 16 boards, three assists, and one steal in 28 minutes.
The scores:
Rain or Shine 107 - Ponferada 22, Cruz 19, Chan 16, Yap 13, Norwood 11, Ahanmisi 7, Washington 7, Trollano 6, Belga 4, Matias 2, Tolomia 0, Ibanes 0, Maiquez 0.
NLEX 97 - Anthony 22, Rios 20, Alas 17, Villanueva 9, Baracael 7, Khobuntin 6, Taulava 5, Monfort 5, Camson 4, Lastimosa 2, Guinto 0.
Quarterscores: 21-28, 48-58, 80-85, 107-97.
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