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[av_heading heading=’ Cruz Q4 shots power Painters against Star’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – Jericho Cruz came up with crucial hits in the fourth quarter for Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to escape Star Hotshots 92-88 in the Oppo PBA Governors’ Cup yesterday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
After seeing their 20 point lead cut down to 75-72, Cruz came up with back-to-back 3-point conversions to increase Painters’ lead to 88-77 with just over a minute left in the game.
Hotshots tried to mount a run behind former Painters guard Paul Lee to come to as close as 5 points but free throws by Maverick Ahanmisi and Gabe Norwood sealed the win for Rain or Shine.
Cruz finished with 18 points – 10 coming in the final quarter – to help Painters tally its third straight victory and move up to fifth place with a 4-2 record. Import J’Nathan Bullock chipped in 18 points as well.
Gilas Pilipinas members Norwood and Raymond Almazan had 15 and 13 points, respectively.
From a tight exchange early in the first half, Painters pulled away midway in the second period on 3-pointers by Bullock and Ahanmisi to build a 41-30 lead at the half.
The lead widened further 52-32 early in the third frame on inside hits by Almazan and Bullock. Hotshots, however, rallied back on triples by Malcolm Hill and Allein Maliksi to come to as close as 72-75.
Hill finished with 26 points while Lee and Ian Sangalang contributed 17 and 11 markers for Star, which dropped to second place with 4-1./PN
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