Wednesday’s PBA encore featured a league leader in the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters squaring off against a cellar dweller in the Phoenix Fuel Masters at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
At one point, it appeared that Phoenix was getting poised to stun Rain or Shine—that is, until the latter uncorked a huge run in the fourth en route to a hard-fought 91-80 triumph. It is the Elasto Painters’ fourth straight win and fifth overall, while the Fuel Masters lost for the fifth time in six games.
What Happened?
Rain or Shine struck first, winning the first quarter, 21-15, before Phoenix roared back by taking the second, 22-15, to enter halftime ahead, 37-36. The two teams battled to a nip-and-tuck third canto that ended in a 63-63 stalemate. The Fuel Masters appeared to grab momentum when they took a 71-67 lead early in the third, but the Elasto Painters roared back with 13 unanswered to seize control, 80-71. Phoenix threatened to within four, 82-78, but Rain or Shine made timely baskets to finally nail the win.
Who Stood Out?
Guards Gian Mamuyac and Anton Asistio were sensational for Rain or Shine as each fired 20 with 3 rebounds and 3 assists apiece to boot. Mamuyac was superb in the first three quarters, while Asistio dropped 8 of his 20 in that game-changing fourth-quarter run.
Over at the Phoenix side, Jason Perkins had his moments en route to a 17-point, 7-rebound outing. Sean Maganti also played well, firing 13 markers and leading a late Phoenix run to get within four points of Rain or Shine down the stretch.
3 Keys to the Game
- Strong finish. Rain or Shine started strong but finished even stronger, and it needed just one big run in the payoff period to get enough of a cushion. Then, when Phoenix made its last-ditch run, the Elasto Painters made timely baskets to pull away for good.
- Guard play. Put simply, the Elasto Painters’ Asistio, Mamuyac, and Adrian Nocum outplayed their counterparts from Phoenix—Tyler Tio, Ricci Rivero, and RR Garcia. In all, Asistio, Mamuyac, and Nocum combined for 50 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists, while Tio, Rivero, and Garcia mustered just 21 points on top of 14 rebounds and 6 dimes.
- Fast break. Rain or Shine likes to get out and run for easy points, and that’s exactly what they did against Phoenix. In fact, the Elasto Painters dominated in that aspect, outscoring their counterparts, 20-2, in fast-break points.
Next Up for the PBA
The PBA Philippine Cup for Season 50 continues on Friday, this time at the Ynares Center in Montalban. The first game will be between the TNT Tropang 5G and Terrafirma Dyip followed by a marquee matchup pitting the San Miguel Beermen against the Magnolia Hotshots.
TNT vs. Terrafirma (5:15 p.m.)
San Miguel vs. Magnolia (7:30 p.m.)
