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[av_heading heading=’ Rain or Shine smothers TNT, 105-73, in Govs’ Cup ‘ 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 – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters cruised to a wire-to-wire 105-73 victory over fellow undermanned TNT KaTropa in the 2017 Oppo PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Reinforcement J’Nathan Bullock led the way with 20 points and 14 rebounds for Painters, which surged to fifth place after the Sunday night game with a 3-2 win-loss record.
Jericho Cruz added 14 markers – including three outside shots – while Jewel Ponferrada, Mark Borboran and James Yap had 12, 11 and 10 points, respectively, for Rain or Shine.
Both teams were shorthanded. Painters played without Raymond Almazan, Gabe Norwood and Anthony Washington, while TNT missed Jayson Castro, Roger Pogoy, Jeth Troy Rosario, Anthony Semerad, and Kris Rosales.
Rain or Shine opened the match with a 23-8 lead on hits by Bullock, Ponferrada and Cruz. KaTropa tried to rally back but 3-pointers by Jerramy King and Celedonio Trollano pushed Painters’ lead to 30-14.
Painters continued its hot shooting in the second frame with Yap and Borboran draining from outside for a 44-24 lead, which widened 62-34 on 7 straight points by Bullock early in the third quarter.
KaTropa mounted a huge run and came to as close as 53-66 but Rain or Shine quickly pulled away on treys by Chris Tiu and Borboran and extended the lead to its largest at 32 points on hits by Billy Robles and Eduardo Daquioag.
“Everybody was on the same page,” said Painters head coach Carlos Garcia. “At the start of the game, the intensity was high. Everybody stepped up to fill in for those who were out.”
Glen Rice Jr. top-scored with 19 points while rookie Levi Hernandez and Ranidel de Ocampo contributed 11 markers apiece for KaTropa, which dropped to 2-2./PN
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