For a while, it looked like the fans who trooped to the Ynares Center in Montalban on Saturday would witness two blowouts, with the Meralco Bolts seeming poised to duplicate the Converge FiberXers’ 129-92 rout of the Titan Ultra Giant Risers in the first game. But the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, who were making their PBA Season 50 debut, had other plans as they forced OT and eked out a 96-95 come-from-behind win.
What Happened?
Meralco started things off by winning the first quarter thanks in part to a 17-7 start. Rain or Shine responded with a 26-16 second quarter to take a 50-44 lead into intermission. The Bolts then turned in a massive 37-20 third quarter, at one point extending the lead to 81-65. Meralco was still ahead, 87-74, with nine minutes left in regulation when the Elasto Painters uncorked a 16-3 windup to send the game to OT, where they made just enough plays to complete the comeback.
Who Stood Out?
Caelan Tiongson was the star of stars on Saturday, dishing out a 23-point, 10-rebound double-double that helped Rain or Shine overcome the Bolts despite losing almost all statistical categories. Gabe Norwood, who had previously announced this Philippine Cup will be his last, also played well, scoring 11 points and making the follow-up tip-in that sent the game to overtime.
For Meralco, CJ Cansino was superb for a second straight game, putting up 18 markers and 8 rebounds for the Bolts. Bong Quinto was equally solid, tying Cansino for team-high honors in scoring with 18 and adding 10 caroms for the double-double.
3 Keys to the Game
- Caelan Tiongson. Rain or Shine may have lost most of the statistical battles, but they had Tiongson in the fourth quarter, and his 10 points and energy plays helped fuel the Elasto Painters’ furious fightback.
- Rain or Shine’s tenacity. The Elasto Painters could’ve folded when their shots weren’t falling in the third and the Bolts were running away with the game. But Tiongson and company didn’t waver and instead kept fighting long enough for the tide to turn.
- Meralco’s poor shooting. Meralco shot just 35.4% overall, and it was in part due to Rain or Shine’s hustling defense, but mostly the Bolts just missed. Worse, Meralco went cold in the fourth quarter, going just 3-for-20 as the Elasto Painters crawled their way back.
Next Up for the PBA
The PBA goes back to Ynares Center in Antipolo on Sunday for the league’s usual family day doubleheader. The NLEX Road Warriors, fresh from their upset win on Wednesday, will face the Terrafirma Dyip in the first game, while the San Miguel Beermen, NLEX’s opening-game victim, will try to bounce back when they take on the Phoenix Fuel Masters.
NLEX vs. Terrafirma | San Miguel vs. Phoenix
