JR Quinahan.
INQUIRER PHOTO/AUGUST DELA CRUZ
USING the three-point shot to the hilt even with its top outside gunners out of commission, Rain or Shine on Thursday night dealt Globalport a second straight loss, 119-112, in the PBA Governors’ Cup at Al Shabab Al Arabi Club in Dubai.
With big men JR Quiñahan and Beau Belga combining for seven three-point shots and the Elasto Painters dropping 14 in total, Rain or Shine played with command all night in a highly physical match to win for the first time in three games.
Import Wendell McKines, whose “winnability” is being evaluated by the coaching staff at this oil-rich emirate, proved himself worthy with 28 points and 13 rebounds as the Painters dropped the Batang Pier to a 3-2 record.
Rain or Shine was again playing at press time, tangling with Barangay Ginebra in the second of two straight matches the Painters badly need to win in order to vault back into the upper half of the standings.
“It’s only the first game and we need to win again tomorrow (Friday night),” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao after the intense contest that finished closed to 3 a.m. (Manila time). “It’s tiring, it’s tough, it’s a hard win and very physical.
“We’ll try to get rested. We still need to draw up a game plan for Ginebra.”
The Painters and the Gin Kings (1-3) clash at 8 p.m. in Dubai (12 midnight Saturday in Manila).
Not only did Rain or Shine make a bunch of three-pointers—even with Jeff Chan and Chris Tiu failing to make the trip because of injuries— the Painters also survived Terrence Romeo’s career game of 40 points and sterling performances from Batang Pier imports Jarrid Famous and Omar Krayem.
Famous, the third big import for Globalport in the season-ending conference after Patrick O’Bryant and Steven Thomas, scored 26 and Krayem dropped another 24 for the Batang Pier, who trailed by as large as 18 points and clearly ran out of steam with their rally.
Also hamering Globalport’s chances against the Painters was the absence of top point guard Stanley Pringle, whose old injury recurred and had to be rested by coach Pido Jarencio.
Clearly conserving his men’s strength for the Ginebra game, Guiao had none of his locals playing more than 30 minutes.
“We used our full rotation and tried to spread our minutes in order to be fresh for tomorrow’s game,” he said.
Quiñahan made 4-of-8 triple tries and was 6-for-6 from two-point zone on the way to 24 points, while Belga finished with 12 points.
Raymond Almazan played just five minutes because of a nasty toothache, while Jeric Teng sat it out after injuring an ankle in practice.
The scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 119—McKines 28, Quiñahan 24, Norwood 12, Belga 12, Lee 9, Arana 8, Cruz Jericho 8, Cruz Jervy 6, Tang 6, Uyloan 3, Ibañes 1, Almazan 1.
GLOBALPORT 112—Romeo 40, Famous 26, Krayem 24, Kramer 5, Buenafe 5, Isip 4, Miranda 4, Jensen 4, Semerad 0, Taha 0, Mamaril 0.
Quarters: 38-32, 66-49, 90-82, 119-112