INQUIRER Sports

MANILA, Philippines ? With the way he talked, it was obvious that Barangay Ginebra coach Jong Uichico is seeing a lot of his never-say-die team in Rain or Shine.

?It?s hard to explain the game, they just kept coming back,? Uichico said with a trace of amazement last night, moments after getting key baskets from David Noel in the stretch for a 103-98 victory over the Elasto Painters for a 1-1 tie in their Motolite Fiesta Cup semifinal series.

?They (Elasto Painters) hit timely shots when we tried to blow the game open,? he added. ?But we just kept playing and it could have gone either way. Good thing that we were able to get through this game.?

Uichico talked that way because recent history almost repeated itself, when his defending champion Gin Kings had complete control in the series opener only to lose when the Painters hit their stride in the stretch and they couldn?t.

?Almost the same thing happened,? Uichico said. ?We have a day to go back to the drawing board and see what?s happening. That?s our homework.?

Noel hit eight of his 10 fourth quarter points inside the final 4:20, including five that went unanswered inside the final two minutes that shoved the Kings to a 101-97 lead heading into the final 32.9 ticks.

?That?s the import?s job, to kind of take over at the end of the game,? the high-leaping Noel, who finished with 24 points, eight rebounds, six assists and three steals, said. ?We were lucky to pull this one out.?

Jay-Jay Helterbrand scored 24 of his 34 points in the first half and helped the Kings establish a couple of 13-point leads. Ginebra remained in the driver?s seat for most of the final two quarters until Don Dulay hit three straight triples and Jay-R Reyes had a split from the stripe for a 97-95 Rain or Shine lead with 2:59 left.

But the only point that the Painters could score after that was from a free throw from Jai Lewis on a questionable foul called by referee Boy Cruz on Noel with 21.9 remaining.

In the series opener, it was Ginebra which was held down to just two points in the final five minutes of a 101-95 loss, but last night, the Kings had a lot of firepower in the endgame, in sharp contrast to the Painters, who continued to miss two key men.

Ryan Arana showed up with a taped right hand and Solomon Mercado could be out for the rest of the series because of a right hamstring pull as the Painters missed two vital offensive components.

The burly Lewis finished with 21 points, 20 rebounds, six assists and two steals and he got a lot of help before that last three minute-drought came as five locals chipped in with twin digit scores.

Helterbrand?s total was his biggest in nine years, when he scored his career-high of 35 against San Miguel in an out-of-town game in Batangas.

Incidentally, Mark Caguioa showed up sporting a mean Mohawk but said in interviews that he would be staying in the country for only two weeks and will return to the United States to continue rehabilitating his knees that were hit by tendonitis and kept him out of action for the entire season.

Meanwhile, the Office of the Commissioner announced that the deadline of submission of documents for Fil-foreign applicants to the Draft has been moved to Friday next week.

The Scores:

BARANGAY GINEBRA 103 - Helterbrand 34, Noel 24, Tubid 16, Mamaril 11, Baguio 7, Salvacion 6, Lanete 5, Kramer 0, Artadi 0, Wilson 0, Reavis 0.

RAIN OR SHINE 98 - Lewis 21, Tang 19, Ibanes 14, Reyes 14, Norwood 13, Dulay 13, Salangsang 2, Wainwright 2, Isip 0, Laure 0, Ejercito 0.
Quarters: 24-24, 54-45, 83-76, 103-98.