The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters hammered the undermanned TNT KaTropa from start to finish to cruise to a 105-73 victory in the Oppo PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday at SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Rain or Shine got off to a blistering 23-8 start and never looked back to down depleted TNT which missed the services of key players Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario and RR Pogoy who were all loaned to the national team. Kris Rosales and Anthony Semerad also didn’t suit up.
The Elasto Painters were also without Raymond Almazan and Gabe Norwood, but their absence was hardly felt thanks to Rain or Shine’s relentless attack for the whole game.
by J’Nathan Bullock who scored 20 points, 14 boards and three assists while Jericho Cruz tallied 14 points, five rebounds and five dimes to help the Elasto Painters (3-2) notch their second straight win at the expense of the KaTropa (2-2).
Rain or Shine, which led by as many as 33 points, got a huge threat in the third frame after TNT dropped a 14-0 bomb ignited by back-to-back triples from new import Glen Rice Jr. to come within just 13, 64-51.
But the Elasto Painters quickly doused TNT’s run after Chris Tiu and Mark Borboran drained triples to maintain KaTropa’s lead at 20, 77-57, after three periods and take the fight out of the KaTropa.
Rice finished with 19 points and eight rebounds in his PBA debut, but struggled to get his rhythm all throughout the game. He only made six out of his 22 shots, and sat out most of the first half due to foul trouble.
The scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 105 – Bullock 20, Cruz 14, Ponferada 12, Borboran 11, Yap 10, Ahanmisi 9, Trollano 7, Tiu 6, Belga 5, Robles 4, King 3, Matias 2, Daquioag 2, Maiquez 0.
TNT 73 – Rice Jr. 19, De Ocampo 11, Hernandez 11, Williams 8, Lingganay 6, Tautuaa 5, Garcia 4, Reyes 3, Nuyles 3, Tamsi 2, Carey 1, Golla 0.
Quarters: 30-14, 49-32, 77-58, 105-73.
