PBA IMAGES
Rain or Shine got its one foot in the semifinals after a pulsating 88-84 win over Ginebra in Game 1 of their best-of-three quarterfinals series Sunday at Cuneta Astrodome.
Jeff Chan finished with 15 points, including the game’s biggest basket late, and three rebounds for the Elasto Painters.
JR Quiñahan led the Elasto Painters with 17 markers and six boards, while Pierre Henderson-Niles added 12 points and 10 rebounds.
“It’s always a hard struggle every time we play Ginebra in the playoffs,” said ROS head coach Yeng Guiao. “We fell down by 19 early, but we just kept our focus, played it possession-per-possession and just hang in there and play with some patience.”
Rain or Shine raced back from a 19-point hole, 35-16, and took control for majority of the second half. With Ginebra raging back in the game’s final minutes, it was dealt with a huge blow as coach Tim Cone was whistled for a technical foul for crossing the half-court line with 53.0 seconds remaining.
Chan converted the technical free throw to push his team up, 86-84, and create some breathing room in the final minute.
Rain or Shine shoot for the series-clincher on Tuesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
LA Tenorio led Ginebra with 20 points, while Japeth Aguilar tallied a double-double with 13 markers and 12 rebounds.
The scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 88 – Quiñahan 17, Chan 15, Henderson-Niles 12, Ponferrada 9, Cruz 8, Tiu 8, Ahanmisi 6, Norwood 6, Lee 3, Almazan 2, Trollano 2, Belga 0, Ibañes 0.
GINEBRA 84 – Tenorio 20, Aguilar 13, Jeffers 12, Caguioa 10, Slaughter 10, Devance 7, Mercado 5, Ellis 4, Marcelo 3, Thompson 0.
Quarters: 12-27, 40-41, 70-70, 88-84.