On Friday against the Blackwater Bossing, things were clicking for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters—until they weren’t.
After an explosive first half that saw the Elasto Painters put up 56 points to Blackwater’s 41, things went downhill for Guiao’s wards in the third as the Bossing started hitting the long ball—six to be exact. As a result, Rain or Shine’s 56-41 halftime lead was wiped out completely, with Blackwater zooming ahead, 77-72, after that commanding 36-16 third quarter.
Rain or Shine Keeps Cool, Fights Back in Fourth
The run the Bossing went on in the third could’ve flustered lesser teams. Rain or Shine isn’t one of them. The Elasto Painters started the payoff period on a 9-0 run to reclaim the lead, working their way to three layups and a trip to the foul line while never taking a long ball.
The game stayed close up until the 5:42 mark, where Rain or Shine held a slim 91-90 lead. Then, the Elasto Painters uncorked a 10-1 blitz that gave them a 101-91 cushion, which they kept until the final buzzer for their second win in the PBA Philippine Cup against a loss. Postgame, Guiao lauded his team’s endgame flourish and how it found ways to finish off the Bossing.
“We maintained our composure. It was a good endgame finish for us. I guess it’s just accumulated experience, learning from making the semis,” Guiao told reporters. “Being able to get the stops, making the right plays at the right time. I consider it as a sign of maturity. ‘Yung San Miguel game namin, we couldn’t make shots. But if you can’t make shots, just find other ways to win the game.”
Rain or Shine certainly found ways to win against Blackwater, and it was mostly by getting to the paint, where the Elasto Painters outscored the Bossing, 62-36, and by speeding things up, leading to a 23-10 advantage in fast-break points.
Guiao, for sure, would love more of that as he tries to steer Rain or Shine past the semifinals and onto bigger, better things.
