GAMES WEDNESDAY
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. – NorthPort vs. Ginebra
7:30 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs. TNT
RAIN or Shine guard Adrian Nocum’s blinding crossover left TNT counterpart Roger Pogoy biting the dust before soaring for a layup and drawing two more opposing defenders in two-time Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Glenn Khobuntin last night.
Finally getting the job done this time, the Elasto Painters nipped the Tropang Giga 103-98 in Game 3 of their best-of-7 semifinals duel in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Nocum’s basket drew ahhs and oohhs from the good-sized crowd and floored Hollis-Jefferson and Khobutin—and more importantly gave Rain or Shine a 90-86 separation with 4:53 remaining.
The much-needed win that atoned for a sorry 91-93 loss in the second tiff last Friday and cut their deficit to 1-2 should boost their belief in turning the race-to-4 series around, according to Painters coach Yeng Guiao.
“We’re hoping to push this to a long series. At least ngayon, 1-2 na. That means minimum of five games na ito. Gusto naming umabot ng seven games. We’re physically and mentally prepared to play seven games in this series,” Guiao said.
“We designed our management of minutes to be able to be still fresh for a Game 7.
“That’s what we’re hoping, maparating doon. But for now, isa-isa muna. You won one game; that means you’re going to play at least five games,” he added.
Import Deon Thompson turned in a double-double of 19 points and 15 rebounds, to go with four assists for Guiao’s troops, while Caelan Tiongson chipped in 18 markers, seven boards, and four dimes.
Nocum redeemed himself from a missed corner jumper that could have forced overtime in Game 2 with 16 points, eight caroms, and four feeds for Rain or Shine that also got 12 from Anton Asistio.
After building a 49-43 lead at the half, the Painters increased the gap to as much as 69-56 on a Leonard Santillan three-pointer at the 5:30 mark of the third canto.
But TNT, which sorely missed veteran playmaker Jayson Castro, who suffered a patellar tendon tear the last time out and is done for the season, clawed its way back and made it a 73-75 game heading into the payoff period.
A Hollis-Jefferson bucket shoved the Tropang Giga to within 90-94 in the last 2:21 before Rain or Shine’s resolve prevailed when it mattered most.
Hollis-Jefferson totaled 34 points and 19 rebounds for TNT while Pogoy added 21 and two.
Calvin Oftana also got 13 markers for the Tropang Giga. Big man JP Erram contributed 10 but engaged Khobutin—his TNT teammate—in a fight just before the end of the second quarter. The two made amends shortly.
Now the heat is on the Tropang Giga to regroup and show they will not fold like a truly a band of brothers.
