Wendell McKines of Rain or Shine vs Liam Paul McMorrow of Barako Bull. PBA IMAGE
Rain or Shine’s final play was simple: Get the ball in the hands of its best player and clear out.
The Elasto Painters did just that and Paul Lee made the game-winning shot to beat the Barako Bull Energy, 134-132, in double overtime and advance in the semifinals of the 2015 PBA Governors’ Cup Saturday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Lee drove, spun and hit a one-hander over the Energy’s 7-foot import Liam McMorrow with 7.3 seconds left to tow the Painters, who had blown a 25-point lead.
“I’m not surprised. He’s been doing that a long time since he’s been in the PBA, he’s been doing that in practice,” said ROS head coach Yeng Guiao of Lee’s clutch basket. “He’s unflappable. You can put the ball in his hands and just clear away some space for him and he will make the right decisions.”
“As long as in the ball is in his hands, we can leave the decision making to him and he made the last play and the objective was to get the ball in his hands and get him some screen where he can get some room to work out a shot and that’s what happened,” Guiao said.
The 6-foot Lee, arguably the most dangerous player with the game on the line, did it all with 23 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and just one turnover in 36 minutes. Wendell McKines led the Painters with 36 points and 15 rebounds.
Barako Bull found its way back despite falling behind by as much as 25 in the second quarter. McMorrow forced the first overtime with a dunk with 23.7 seconds left in regulation and almost extended the game to a third OT with another slam, tying the game at 132 with 27.4 ticks remaining.
McMorrow had 32 points and 23 rebounds for the Energy, who held the top spot in the elimination round at one point in the conference before ending their campaign on a five-game losing skid.
Rain or Shine appeared very much on its way to a blowout after taking a 56-31 lead midway through the second quarter before allowing Barako Bull to get back in it and even had the chance to steal the game and force a rubber match. But the Energy couldn’t take advantage with RR Garcia missing at the end of the first OT and Chico Lanete misfiring on a leaner in the game’s final possession.
The Painters will take on either the No.2 San Miguel Beermen or the Meralco Bolts in a best-of-five semis series.