RAIN or Shine veteran Beau Belga lost a rebound battle with NorthPort rookie center Zavier Lucero early in the fourth quarter but his team won’t be denied.
With Belga showing the way, the Elasto Painters turned back the slumping Batang Pier 115-105 las night for their fifth straight win in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.
Known as a hothead, Belga grabbed the ball and threw it hard to the floor LED light flashing a moving collage of some of the pro league teams’ star players at the baseline.
At 37 and one of the statesmen of a youth-laden Rain or Shine squad, Belga is fast proving he still has what it takes–perhaps still one the PBA’s best.
His big man’s steady showing in the season-ending tourney hardly surprised Painters coach Yeng Guiao.
“Ha? May bagong career high na naman si Beau?” Guiao said in jest. “Siyempre masaya at natutuwa kami kasi consistent si Beau. Kailangan niya talagang mag-double time dahil kulang kami sa malaki, hindi pa rin nakakalaro si Keith Datu and Luis Villegas.
“Pero pinupunuan naman ni Beau. Marami namang siyang pampuno kaya kayang-kaya nia.
Iyong guards namin maganda rin ang inilaro like si Adrian (Nocum) and (Jhonard) Clarito,” he added.
The 6-foot-5 Belga notched a new career best 28 points, to go with 13 rebounds and seven assists. His previous highest scoring game (25 markers) came in a 110-90 thrashing of Converge last April 3.
Clarito chipped in 17 points, seven boards, and three dimes for the Painters, while Nocum added 16 and three.
Another battle-scarred player in Mark Borboran also had 12 markers and five caroms as Rain or Shine scored a big follow up to a 116-104 drubbing of Terrafirma five days ago and rose to 5-4 for solo sixth.
NorthPort absorbed its third loss in a row, counting an 88-95 setback to Ginebra last Sunday and dropped to 4-4 for seventh.
