Sol heads for Asiad on the wings of victory
MANILA—Sol Mercado scored 19 points in the second half and Doug Kramer 11 in the fourth quarter as Rain or Shine won a shootout with the PBA’s most talented team on paper and won back-to-back games for the first time in the Philippine Cup eliminations.
Mercado, in his last game before leaving for the Asian Games with the Philippine squad, hit nine of his 26 in the payoff frame and helped key a 110-107 victory over San Miguel Beer Sunday night that also snapped the Beermen’s tournament-best five-game winning streak at the Araneta Coliseum.
Rain or Shine rose to 4-4and is the only squad in the tournament that can boast of having beaten the two most talented squads in the league, the other being the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters.
The Texters, though, avoided the upset ax later in the night after surviving a spirited Barako Bull stand, 84-83, to gain a share of the lead with the Beermen at 6-2.
Jimmy Alapag scored 16 points and Kelly Williams had 14 that went with 10 boards for the Texters, who dealt the Energy Boosters a second straight loss in a 2-5 card, which put them in a tie for last spot with idle defending champion Derby Ace.
Sunday Salvacion ended his night with two straight triples and paced the Boosters with 17 points even as Arwind Santos had 23 points and 10 rebounds and Jay Washington added 18 points and 13 boards for San Miguel.
“I hope this is the start of something,” Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia, who last week had a very heated locker room argument with Mercado, told reporters. “If we play this way, there will be no team that can relax against us.
“Whatever happened between me and Sol is only going to make us a healthier team,” he continued even as he expressed confidence that his Elasto Painters can still keep on winning when he loans his all-star guard to National duty.
“We can still beat other teams without Sol if we continue to play this way. It’s just about stepping up.”
Rain or Shine, which trailed by as many as 54-67 in the third quarter, will have a 12-day break and will be back in action on Nov. 19 against defending champion Derby Ace and then Alaska on the 28th where it will miss Mercado and his 17-something points a game.
“I will definitely miss you guys, but I look forward to playing in the Asian Games,” Mercado, who was seated beside Garcia, said. “I’m honored to represent the country and hopefully, we could bring home a medal before I return to my mother team.”
Kramer, the former Ateneo ace who has so far had a journeyman’s pro career, tied his career high which he capped with two free throws in the final 12.9 seconds that allowed the Painters to put the game to bed. Photo by Nuki Sabio, PBA
The scores:
First Game
RAIN OR SHINE 110 – Mercado 26, Kramer 19, Norwood 18, Rodriguez 16, Tang 7, Ibanes 6, Bugia 6, Reyes 4, Ferriols 4, Cruz 2, Chan 2, Jazul 0, Arana 0.
SAN MIGUEL 107 – Santos 23, Washington 18, Yeo 13, Hontiveros 10, Seigle 10, Miranda 8,Cabagnot 7, Racela 5, Ildefonso 4, Tugade 3, Artadi 2, Pennisi 2, Pena 2.
Quarters: 19-20, 45-54, 75-76, 110-107.
Second Game
TALK ‘N TEXT 84 – Alapag 16, Williams 14, Castro 12, Dillinger 11, Peek 11, Aban 7, Fonacier 6, Carey 5, Yee 2, Alvarez 0.
BARAKO BULL 83 – Salvacion 17, Isip 16, Bono 10, Wainwright 10, Yee 10, Hubalde 8, Duncil 4, Daa 4, Cruz 2, Andaya 2, Juntilla 0, Dimaunahan 0.
Quarters: 21-15, 37-34, 62-54, 84-83
