FELIX Lemetti made key plays during Rain or Shine’s closing run to beat Barangay Ginebra, 73-64, on Saturday in the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur.
Lemetti buried a crucial three with 1:07 left in the contest, the last field goal of the Elasto Painters’ 20-3 turnaround to end the game, enabling them to go 2-0 and take the early lead in Group B team standings.
Aaron Fuller also provided a huge lift for Rain or Shine, contributing team highs of 16 points and 23 rebounds as the Elasto Painters won after trailing by eight, 61-53, with eight minutes to play in the game.
Lemetti had 13 points, 10 of which coming from that late run including three free throws after he was fouled by Scottie Thompson while taking a four-point shot to give Rain or Shine a 65-64 lead.
The Rain or Shine rookie picked No. 8 in the draft dished out an assist to Jhonard Clarito on the next offensive play of their team to sustain the run.
Barangay Ginebra lost its first game of the conference even with that eight-point advantage that was the biggest for the Gin Kings, spoiling the return of Justin Brownlee to the team after 16 months.
Japeth Aguilar had 20 points and nine rebounds, while Brownlee added 18 points and 10 rebounds for the Gin Kings. Thompson grabbed 15 boards for Ginebra.
Stephen Holt had 13 points and nine rebounds, but RJ Abarrientos and Isaac Go just had two points each, while shooting 1-of-15 and 1-of-14 from the field respectively in their first game in a Barangay Ginebra uniform.
The scores:
Rain or Shine 73 – Fuller 16, Caracut 14, Lemetti 13, Mamuyac 9, Tiongson 5, Clarito 4, Belga 3, Ildefonso 3, Santillan 2, Nocum 2, Datu 2, Asistio 0, Norwood 0, Borboran 0.
Barangay Ginebra 64 – J. Aguilar 20, Brownlee 18, Holt 13, Ahanmisi 5, Thompson 4, Go 2, Abarrientos 2, Cu 0.
Quarters: 19-16; 29-34; 51-52; 73-64.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
