Rain or Shine shoves SMB down 0-2 ditch

RAIN or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, had he been around last night, would have surely said that this latest caper would linger more in memory.

The Elasto Painters almost blew a 12-point fourth quarter lead and had to watch Marcio Lassiter’s three-pointer miss the buzzer to escape with a 98-96 victory over San Miguel Beer for a 2-0 lead in their best-of-five Final Four series in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Rain or Shine used an 89-77 lead as buffer in the last five minutes to cushion a whirlwind finish by the Beermen and earn three chances at wrapping this series up and advancing to a first title series appearance this season.

“We’re lucky,” assistant coach Caloy Garcia, who called the shots for Guiao, told reporters, referring to that Lassiter triple that was ruled as not counted after a review of the game tape. “We played good today, but we need to play better (in Game 3) because we know San Miguel can come back.”

Guiao, a congressional candidate for the first district of Pampanga, had said that a come-from-behind 98-94 Game 1 victory would “linger in memory.” He missed last night’s game to participate in a debate.

The Beermen are down to their final out, so to speak. But if there’s any team capable to turning this around, it is San Miguel.

Game 3 of this series is slated tomorrow at PhilSports Arena in Pasig and San Miguel—in order to keep its Grand Slam dream alive—would need to duplicate an almost similar feat it pulled off in the Philippine Cup Finals where the Beermen won the last four games against Alaska in the best-of-seven series.

RAIN or Shine import Niles Henderson challenges the defense of San Miguel Beer’s Tyler Wilkerson and June Mar Fajardo in last night’s still unfinished Game 2 at Smart Araneta Coliseum. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

Four players tossed in twin digits for the Painters, with Jericho Cruz leading the way with 16 and import Pierre Henderson-Niles providing 15, 16 rebounds, three assists and the muscle that again took June Mar Fajardo out of his sweet spot.

Tyler Henderson led the Beermen with 35, 18 boards and five assists, but Fajardo was held down to three points in the fourth period.

Meanwhile, Alaska braces for another tough outing against Meralco today when the Aces gun for a commanding 2-0 lead in their Final Four series.

Game time is 7 p.m. at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

The scores:

RAIN OR SHINE 98—Cruz 16, Henderson-Niles 15, Chan 14, Ahanmisi 10, Quinahan 9,  Almazan 7, Tiu 7, Lee 6, Belga 5, Ibanes 4, Norwood 3, Ponferada 2.

SAN MIGUEL 96—Wilkerson 35, Ross 15, Fajardo 14, Cabagnot 13, Santos 8, David 5, Lassiter 3, Tubid 3, Heruela 0, Reyes 0.

Quarters: 21-28, 45-46, 69-66, 98-96