By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters bucked the absence of head coach Joseller Guiao to score a 118-112 victory over NorthPort Batang Pier in the 2023 PBA on Tour at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City on Wednesday night, July 19.
Leading by as much as 20 points, the Painters were stunned by a furious run by the Batang Pier that cut the deficit to 106-112, but back-to-back hits from Beau Belga and Mark Borboran made it a 116-106 spread for Rain or Shine.
NorthPort made its last push at 108-116 after a jump shot by Mer Jesper Ayaay, but a conversion from Andrei Caracut with over a minute in the game sealed the victory for Rain or Shine.
Leonard Santillan led the way with 20 points, while Caracut and Anton Asistio chipped in 17 markers apiece as the Painters recorded their seventh victory in nine matches to stay in second place in the standings.
Shaun Ildefonso contributed 14 points, while Gian Mamuyac, Beau Belga and Jewel Ponferrada also finished with double-digits of 12, 11 and 10 points, respectively, for the Painters, which were without the vacationing Guiao for the match.
John Michael Calma had double-double 22 points and 16 rebounds, Arvin Tolentino added 20 markers, while Fran Yu and Michael Salado had 19 and 16 points, respectively, as the Batang Pier dropped to 5-5.
Meanwhile, TNT Tropang Giga escaped a fourth quarter challenge from Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters to score a 96-88 win. The Tropang Giga moved up to 1-7, while the Fuel Masters dropped to 3-7.
Comfortably ahead by 16 points in the second half, the Tropang Giga’s first win in the tournament nearly put them in danger as the Fuel Masters launched a huge fight back to tie the score at 83-all with eight minutes left in the game.
The Tropang Giga managed to restore order as Carl Bryan Cruz connected on a three-pointer while Almond Vosotros had an eight-point barrage to widen the advantage to 96-86 with less than a minute remaining.
Glenn Khobuntin finished with 21 points, Vosotros contributed 16 markers, with four three-pointers, while Cruz and Bacolodnon Kib Montalbo ended with 15 and 13, respectively, for the Tropang Giga.
RAIN OR SHINE 118 — Santillan 20, Asistio 17, Caracut 17, Ildefonso 14, Mamuyac 12, Belga 11, Ponferrada 10, Belo 9, Clarito 6, Borboran 2.
NORTHPORT 112 — Calma 22, Tolentino 20, Yu 19, Salado 16, Munzon 9, Zamar 8, Santos 4, Balagasay 2, Bauzon 2, Olivario 0, Gabriel 0.
Quarterscores: 30-27, 56-45, 93-77, 118-112./ASC, WDJ