Bridesmaids no more.
On their third try in this best-of-seven finals series, the Elastopainters claimed the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown after a 109-92 domination of the pesky Alaska Aces in Game 6 Wednesday night.
Paul Lee set the tone for his tea, exploding for 15 points off the bench in the first quarter as Rain or Shine found its outside shooting to equalize the record for most threes in a Finals game with 15.
Lee, named as the Cignal PBA Press Corps Finals MVP, finished with 20 points to lead his team in the Finals.
After moving within a win of the crown with blazing 3-0 start, Rain or Shine fumbled in trying to close out the series and allowed the Aces to gain momentum.
But the Elastopainters, a game before the series was reduced to a winner-take-all game 7, found their mark and smothered Alaska to bag their second title in franchise history since the 2012 PBA Governors’ Cup.
Jericho Cruz paced the Elasto Painters in the series clincher with 21 points and five rebounds, while JR Quinahan stepped out of his funk to end up with 14 markers.
Lee’s hot start allowed Rain or Shine to grab a 14-point lead, 38-24. But the Aces refused to sink, trimming the E-Painters’ 23-point edge to as low as 12, 104-92, with a Kevin Racal drive at the 1:06 mark of the payoff period.
Rain or Shine, however, just won’t be denied, and atoned to its four Finals heartbreaks in the last three years.
An ecstatic coach Yeng Guiao also snared his seventh title as a mentor, all of which coming from import-laden conferences.
Meanwhile, it was another heartbreaking finals defeat for the Aces, who came up anew short in adding another title to the franchise’s illustrious history.
But Alaska managed to make it a respectable exit after ending a 0-7 losing streak dating back to last conference’s finals against San Miguel with a Game 4 win.
Best Player of the Conference Calvin Abueva carried the Aces in the valiant effort with 26 points and eight rebounds before fouling out with 1:59 left in the clock.
