Gabe Norwood tries to catch up with Rashawn McCarthy. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Rain or Shine captain Gabe Norwood wouldn’t deny the fact that the Kia franchise has the Elasto Painters’ number this season.
The Painters dropped to 0-2 against the Dyip this year after losing 104-96 on Wednesday night for their first setback this conference after a 3-0 start.
“It’s hard to argue with that right now,” Norwood said when asked if Columbia has gained a mastery over his team.
“They come out with a certain type of confidence because of the style of their play. We knew what we’re getting into but they came out and we weren’t able to disrupt their play, their style and what they wanted to do.”
Norwood, who finished with six points, five rebounds and six assists, also said Rain or Shine did not play within its capabilities on both ends of the floor.
“I think in terms of our preparation and how we handled this game today, we weren’t able to contain the ball and contain their guards,” he said.
“It’s just the energy, we weren’t able to match it for the full game. We had our spots where we played well especially early in the third quarter we came out of halftime playing really well, but they came out and hit some tough shots,” he added. “It also came down to 3-pointers made. We didn’t make ours and they made theirs.”
The Painters shot only 38% from the field including 5-of-25 from the three-point area while the Dyip’s guards provided a lot of support for their import John Fields, who posted 34 points and 11 rebounds in only his second game.
Rashawn McCarthy led all locals with 23 points while Reden Celda, Jerramy King, and Carlo Lastimosa combined for 27 points. King finished with 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Back in the Philippine Cup four months ago, Kia ended a 16-game losing skid at the expense of Rain or Shine, 98-94.