Win-hooked Air21 whips Rain or Shine

AIR21 guard Simon Atkins is thwarted on the drive by Rain or Shine’s Gabe Norwood in last night’s game at Smart Araneta Coliseum. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

MANILA, Philippines — Air21 got a taste of that winning feeling last PBA conference, and the Express now seem addicted to it.

Breaking away early and then holding off Rain or Shine in the stretch, Air21—the biggest overachiever in the last conference —opened its season-ending Governors’ Cup bid on a high note Tuesday night after a 103-96 win at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Our mindset now is not just about competing—being happy by losing a game by just a few points,” Air21 coach Franz Pumaren said. “Our goal right now is to make sure that what we accomplished last conference is not a flash in the pan.”

Import Dominique Sutton scored 25 points, 10 rebounds and four assists despite a jetlag, and Asi Taulava tossed in 19 that went with 14 boards and a lot of on-court leadership for the Express, the erstwhile whipping boys who came within a win of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals.

“Once you taste success, it’s so hard to let go,” the 41-year-old Taulava said. “We want to build on that momentum, stay focused and not give the people (the impression) that it (their semifinal stint) was a fluke.”

Joseph Yeo scattered 18 points, including a crucial triple and two free throws that scuttled a pair of rallies by the Elasto Painters in the dying minutes.

Rain or Shine played minus coach Yeng Guiao, who had business to attend to in Chinese Taipei.

And the Painters labored hard under a slow start before catching some fire in the latter half of the fourth period to make it close.

The Express broke away from a 9-all game with a 9-0 spurt, before building a 67-50 lead by making the first five points of the third period.

Air21 had control until the Painters came within five points with 13 seconds left. Sutton was impressive, to say the least, giving the Express another strong inside player who could help Taulava in controlling the paint.

Arizona Reid, on his third Rain or Shine stint, scored 20 points and had 12 rebounds in 39 minutes, with Beau Belga contributing 14 before fouling out trying to stop the bull-strong and athletic Sutton.

“Basically, we survived (this game) with our import, who just arrived last Thursday,” Pumaren explained. “He just had a few days of practice with us.”

“He’ll be all right,” Taulava said. Air21 took eventual champion San Mig Coffee to the full route in their best-of-five semifinal series—an experience that toughened the team, especially the younger players, according to Taulava and Pumaren.

“Before, the guys were used to losing,” Taulava, a one-time MVP while with Talk ‘N Text, said. “We’ve changed that mentality now. And what we want is to keep on winning.

This is a different team now.” Sutton is expected to shake off the effects of jetlag by the time the Express take on Barako Bull on Saturday at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay for the solo lead.

The Energy nipped the Meralco Bolts, 95-94, in the conference’s first game on Sunday.

The scores:

AIR 21 103—Sutton 25, Taulava 19, Yeo 18, Ramos 11, Borboran 8, Villanueva 6, Camson 6, Jaime 4, Atkins 3, Cardona 3, Poligrates 0, Burtscher 0.

RAIN OR SHINE 96—Reid 20, Belga 14, Chan 12, Lee 11, Norwood 11, Nuyles 7, Ibanes 6, Arana 5, Almazan 4, Rodriguez 4, Uyloan 2, Tiu 0, Tang 0.

Quarters: 33-24, 62-50, 85-73, 103-96