LIKE a triathlete who had just completed a grueling swim-bike-run stint, unheralded Rain or Shine guard Jhonard Clarito was profusely perspiring after all the dust had settled in his team’s no-tomorrow game against TNT yesterday.
With Clarito showing the way, the Elasto Painters humbled the Tropang Giga 121-113 in Game 2 of their best-of-3 quarterfinals duel in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
Clarito’s sweat and workmanlike effort were all worth it as he proved to be the biggest bane to TNT, making all of his first nine shots. Although he missed the next two, Rain or Shine’s 17th pick overall three seasons back saved his best for last.
With the count tied at 111-all, Clarito boomed in a three-pointer from the left flank, touching off a telling 8-0 blitz capped by an Andrei Caracut trey that made it a 119-111 game with only 1:16 left.
Elasto Painters coach Yeng Guiao, whose charges atoned for a 99-116 loss to the Tropang Giga in their Last Eight opener three nights ago, was understandably pleased with the way they took to heart the lessons learned the last time out.
“Ang pinaka-maganda siguro na ginawa namin is nakabalik kami. They (Tropang Giga) led a couple of times but I think ang importante is we learned to get back kapag nagkakaroon ng run ang kabilang team,” Guiao said. “Ang importante para sa akin, iyong batang team namin natututo nang lumaban sa endgame.
“Kasi iyong mga batang team, iyon ang problema. Maybe for three or three and a half quarters nakakasabay sila which is nangyari sa amin last game, pagdating ng fourth bumigay na,” he added.
The 6-foot-2 Clarito shone with 29 points on a perfect 5-of-5 clip from deep, to go with seven rebounds and four assists, while Caracut backed him up with 21 markers, five boards and two dimes.
Adrian Nocum, Leonard Santillan, and Gian Mamuyac also added 20, 20, and 12 points, respectively, as the Painters forged a do-or-die clash this week at a venue still to be announced by the pro league.
Rain or Shine trailed 62-64 at the half but held the Tropang Giga to a 95-all count heading into the payoff period.
A Nocum layup gave the Painters their biggest lead at 106-97 before TNT roared back but fell short.
Going for naught were Roger Pogoy’s 28 points for the Tropang Giga, while Jayson Castro had 17 markers, six caroms, and eight feeds.
Kim Aurin, Glenn Khobuntin, Calvin Oftana, and Kelly Williams also got 15, 13, 11, and 11 points, respectively, for TNT.
