PBA: Rain or Shine repulses TNT, faces San Miguel in semis
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Rain or Shine finally got through what coach Yeng Guiao calls “the hard way.”
Raymond Almazan and Jeff Chan captained the Elasto Painters as they outplayed TNT, 104-89, in the second phase of their quarterfinals duel to advance to the 2016 Smart Bro PBA Philippine Cup semis Monday at Mall of Asia Arena.
Rain or Shine will face defending champion San Miguel in the race-to-four semis series to begin on January 5.
Almazan made his presence felt down low, topping Rain or Shine with a double-double of 15 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks, while Chan dropped 13 markers, six boards, and four steals.
“You can’t get to the semifinals if you’re not ready, and I think we had to go through the long route to get ourselves ready para makapagisip kami at makapaghanda,” said said the fiery coach. “I think were better prepared now. If we’ve gone the short route, we may have been in the semifinals but we would not be as ready as we are right now.”
Don Trollano also had nine of his 14 points in the fourth, as four other Elasto Painters finished in double-digits in the all-out attack for Rain or Shine.
The E-Painters have finally put their missed chances behind, particularly a squandered opportunity to go outright to the semifinals after a 111-106 defeat to NLEX and their woeful defensive showing in their 95-90 win against Blackwater two days back.
“We were able to finish what we’re not able to finish against NLEX. We had a chance to make the semis the short route but we had to go through the long route, and its probably because we’re not prepared the first time,” Guiao continued. “It’s a blessing in disguise. We had to go through the hard way, but this is just going to toughen us going to the semifinals. That’s how we look at it in our perspective.”
Rain or Shine looked like a solid championship contender, keeping the pace fast and running away with the wire-to-wire win, where it held a lead as high as 21, 104-83, late in the payoff period.
“I was shouting my lungs out because I didn’t want the team to slow down,” said Guiao.
Jayson Castro led TNT in the losing effort with 25 points and 11 rebounds, while Mo Tautuaa got 14 markers and eight boards in the exit.
The Scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 104 – Almazan 15, Trollano 14, Chan 13, Cruz 11, Norwood 11, Quinahan 11, Ahanmisi 10, Ponferrada 8, Belga 6, Tiu 5, Ibañes 0.
TNT 89 – Castro 25, Tautuaa 14, Aban 11, R. Reyes 10, Rosario 10, Seigle 10, Williams 5, J. Reyes 2, Fonacier 1, Ganuelas-Rosser 1, Ababou 0, Carey 0, Miranda 0.
Quarters: 26-20, 52-44, 84-75, 104-89.
