MANILA – Adrian Nocum stepped up offensively in the endgame as Rain or Shine Elasto Painters scored a 120-106 victory over Blackwater Bossing in the PBA Philippine Cup on Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
With the score tied at 102-all, the Painters connected eight straight points from a split free throw by Caelan Tiongson, back-to-back inside hits by Nocum, and a three-point play by Leonard Santillan for a 110-102 lead.
The Bossing cut the deficit to 104-110 on a basket by Sedrick Barefield, but the Painters answered with connections from Nocum, Tiongson, and Keith Datu to stretch the lead to 14 points.
Nocum finished with 23 points, with 21 coming in the second half, to go with four rebounds and one assist to be named Player of the Game as the Painters improved to a 4-2 win-loss slate.
Datu top-scored for the Painters with 27 points, Tiongson added 14 markers, Gian Mamuyac and Andrei Caracut tallied 11 each, while Santillan and Jhonard Clarito ended with 10 apiece.
Christian David led the Bossing with 28 points, Barefield added 23 markers, and RK Ilagan contributed 16 apiece as they dropped to a 1-5 win-loss slate.
Meanwhile, NLEX Road Warriors wasted a lead as high as 17 points before escaping with an 89-86 win over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings. The Road Warriors improved to a 4-1 win-loss slate, while the Gin Kings dropped to a 2-2 mark.
After seeing their 62-45 lead turned to an 81-84 deficit with over a minute left, Robert Bolick Jr. stepped up with a three-pointer to tie the score at 84-all before the Gin Kings took the lead for the last time at 86-84 on an Earl Scottie Thompson layup.
Rookie Xyrus Torres then swung the lead back for the Road Warriors at 87-86 via a corner three-pointer before Bolick nailed two free throws to extend the advantage to 89-86.
Bolick led the way for the Road Warriors with 28 points, including three outside conversions, Torres and Brandon Ramirez chipped in 11 markers apiece, while Kevin Alas chipped in 10 markers off the bench./PN
BOX SCORE:
RAIN OR SHINE 120 – Datu 27, Nocum 23, Tiongson 14, Caracut 11, Mamuyac 11, Clarito 10, Santillan 9, Lemetti 8, Norwood 3, Asistio 3, Belga 0.
BLACKWATER 106 – David 28, Barefield 23, Ilagan 16, Ayonayon 9, Casio 8, Guinto 6, Andrade 5, Escoto 5, Mallilin 4, Chua 2, Tratter 0.
Quarterscores: 37-33, 60-68, 91-91, 120-106.
