GAMES WEDNESDAY
(Mall of Asia Arena, Pasay)
5 p.m. – Ginebra vs. SMB
7:30 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs. TNT
RAIN or Shine gunslinger Anton Asistio locked eyes with TNT guard Almond Vosotros, then launched a four-pointer that kissed the topmost part of the glass before finding its way to the bottom of the net.
With a renewed zest and putting up more fight and heart this time, the Elasto Painters dismantled the Tropang 5G 107-86 in Game 3 of their best-of-7 semifinals showdown in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.
After booming in the four that beat the third quarter buzzer, Asistio gave Vosotros and the rest of TNT a dagger look, for good reason, as Rain or Shine stretched the difference to 84-57 going into the fourth quarter.
Falling tantalizingly close the last time out galvanized his charges, Painters coach Yeng Guiao said.
“Even after our Game 2 loss, I was really happy with their effort. The effort was there. We just lost the game because we did not make enough free throws, very low percentage from the free throw line and we made one bad decision, fouling Calvin Oftana while taking a four-point shot,” Guiao said. “So, nandoon na iyong innate confidence that we can hold our own, we can compete against TNT. I was telling them before the game how hard we tried to win that last game but because of free throws and just one bad decision, natalo kami.
“If we can replicate that effort, make our free throws, and then play a little smarter maybe we can win this game. So, iyon lang, we shot well, Anton really shot the ball well. We got our share of rebounds, we defended well, and of course malaking bagay na wala si (Roger) Pogoy,” he added.
Short in size but not in heart, the 5-foot-11 Asistio scattered a game-high 24 points on two quads and four three-points that he laced with one rebound, and six assists for Rain or Shine while Caelan Tiongson chipped in 16 markers and four boards.
Keith Datu also had a double-double of 13 points and 10 caroms with Leonard Santillan and Adrian Nocum also winding up with 12 and 10 markers, respectively for the Painters.
Rain or Shine’s emphatic triumph against a Pogoy-less (hamstring) TNT side served as a sweet rebound from a painful 105-113 overtime loss in the second tiff last Friday and more importantly trimmed the Tropang 5G’s series lead to 1-2.
Game 4 of the race-to-4 battle is set for Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The Painters came out with guns blazing and zoomed to a 51-37 edge at the half and led by as much as 86-57 on a Mike Malonzo layup at the 11:46 mark of the final canto.
Oftana carried the fight for TNT with 16 points and eight rebounds while Simon Enciso and Glenn Khobuntin combined for 24.
After enjoying their biggest advantage, the Painters hardly met resistance from Tropang 5G—just don’t expect the same from the wards of TNT tactician Chot Reyes in the fourth match.
