BARAKO Bull back-up forward Keith Jensen charges into Jireh Ibañes and Ryan Araña of Rain or Shine after aborting a drive in last night’s game at Smart Araneta Coliseum. Jensen was whistled for a foul. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
Jeff Chan, missing just one shot the entire game, joined hands with Arizona Reid in keying a sizzling-hot Rain or Shine start as the Elasto Painters flogged Barako Bull, 120-93, last night at Smart Araneta Coliseum for a place in the PBA Governors’ Cup playoffs.
The duo set the tone for the rout by combining for 18 first-quarter points in the Painters’ most impressive game so far.
“We finally played well,” coach Yeng Guiao told reporters after his squad improved to 4-3, in a tie with their victims in third place. “I’m just hoping that we could sustain it.”
Rain or Shine, which played without crack guard Paul Lee, has two games left in its schedule, the first against Barangay Ginebra on Saturday and the second opposite Talk ‘N Text next Wednesday.
“I asked the guys to look to score before the game,” Guiao said. “It paid off. Winning big against Barako Bull is important because a lot will be decided by the quotient system (to break ties for rankings in the playoffs).”
Reid finished with 34 points and 10 rebounds and Chan scattered 20, including four triples and a perfect 3-of-3 from two-point zone, in 24 minutes.
Later in the night, San Mig Coffee defeated Alaska, 95-82, in a game that was delayed for at least 30 minutes because of rains that flooded several major streets in Metro Manila.
Alaska guard Dondon Hontiveros, in fact, had to walk from the Corinthian Gardens— which is about five kilometers from the Big Dome—in order to make his team’s call time. The imports of both squads were still not in the venue 15 minutes after the first game ended because of massive traffic jams in areas near and around the coliseum.
Mike Singletary led the Energy with 31 points and 13 rebounds, but scored just eight points in the middle two quarters when the Painters led by as many as 23 points.
Chan came into the game averaging just 5.6 points and was 3-of-25 from three-point range.
The scores:
First Game
RAIN OR SHINE 120—Reid 34, Chan 20, Uyloan 12, Rodriguez 12, Norwood 11, Arana 10, Matias 8, Cruz 7, Tang 4, Ibanes 2, Jaime 0, Belga 0, Quinahan 0.
BARAKO BULL 93—Singletary 31, Seigle 19, Macapagal 9, Jensen 7, Cruz 7, Buenafe 6, Weinstein 5, Monfort 2, Intal 2, Gonzales 2, Pena 2, Villanueva 1, Marcelo 0, Bulawan 0, Pennisi 0.
Quarters: 27-19, 58-40, 86-64, 120-93
Second Game
SAN MIG 95—Blakely 22, Maliksi 16, Barroca 15, Simon 13, Yap 7, Mallari 6, Devance 6, Reavis 6, Ponferrada 2, De Ocampo 2.
ALASKA 82—McKines 32, Thoss 13, Baguio 9, Espinas 8, Abueva 6, Casio 5, Dela Cruz 4, Jazul 3, Hontiveros 2, Reyes 0.
Quarters: 17-22, 48-41, 74-58, 95-82