
MANILA – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters overcame a slow start to defeat the TNT Tropang Giga, 106-96, to clinch a quarterfinals seat in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup over the weekend at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Anton Asistio finished with a conference-high of 21 points, including six three-point conversions, to be named Player of the Game as the Painters concluded the eliminations at sixth place with a 7-5 win-loss slate.
Deon Thompson top-scored with 22 points, Leonard Santillan added 20 markers, while rookie Caelan Tiongson tallied 13 points and 10 rebounds for the Painters.
Rain or Shine head coach Joseller “Yeng” Guiao expressed relief that they were able to win over the Tropang Giga as they avoided falling in a knockout game for the eighth and last quarterfinals seat.
“This is our biggest win this conference, appropriately pampitong panalo namin, talagang hinahabol namin na makapitong panalo, pero it took us all the way to our last game (of the eliminations) to get our seventh win,” Guiao said after the game.
“Ayaw na namin ng playoff kaya sabi ko sa mga players ko na ibuhos na namin lahat ng makakaya namin para at least even kami pagdating sa quarterfinals,” added the seventh-time PBA champion coach.
Guiao and the Painters, which ended the eliminations as the No. 6 seed, will battle the No. 3 ranked Converge FiberXers in a best-of-three quarterfinals series beginning this week.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had a near triple-double of 23 points, 10 rebounds, and eight assists, while Calvin Oftana added 20 markers for the No. 2 ranked Tropang Giga (8-4), which will have a twice-to-beat advantage over the No. 7 seed Hong Kong Eastern./PN
BOX SCORE:
RAIN OR SHINE 106 – Thompson 22, Asistio 21, Santillan 20, Tiongson 13, Caracut 9, Nocum 8, Belga 5, Datu 3, Clarito 3, Malonzo 2, Norwood 0.
TNT 96 – Hollis-Jefferson 23, Oftana 20, Pogoy 13, Erram 13, Nambatac 11, Williams 6, Razon 4, Castro 3, Khobuntin 3, Galinato 0, Exciminiano 0, Aurin 0.
Quarterscores: 23-27, 57-44, 75-74, 106-96.