Powerade Tigers score in OT for 2-1 lead

Powerade center Doug Kramer battles Rain or Shine's Ryan Arana and Gabe Norwood for the rebound in Sunday night's Game 3 of the teams' best-of-seven semis series. INQUIRER PHOTO/ August dela Cruz

MANILA, Philippines—Powerade coach Bo Perasol had thought of replacing Gary David with a defender in the most crucial juncture of the game. Good thing he changed his mind.

Doing the most damage late in regulation and in overtime, David carried the Powerade Tigers to a come-from-behind 104-99 victory in extra time over the Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters Sunday night for a 2-1 advantage in their PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

David unloaded 16 of his 31 points in the fourth period, including three free throws with 10 seconds left that forged the extra period, 97-all, then gave the Tigers the lead for good at 103-99.

“Replacing Gary with a defensive player crossed my mind,” said Perasol. “But then I thought of keeping him there because I know he could win it for us at crunchtime.”

Doug Kramer tossed in a floater in the lane and David faked off Gabe Norwood in a fastbreak as the Tigers pulled away from the Elasto Painters for good and advanced within two wins of a breakthrough stint in the finals.

“I promised my family that we will win the game and we did,” said David, who scored his fifth straight 30-plus points in the playoffs.

Successive misses from beyond the arc by Jeff Chan, Ty Tang and Norwood marked the next three possessions of the Elasto Painters, who took a second straight loss after winning the opener of the best-of-seven series.

“It was a well-played game, except that we missed too many three-point shots,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao, whose E-Painters went 3 of 28 from that range.

The Elasto Painters were ahead in regulation, 97-94, but David was fouled by Paul Lee on top of the arc with 10 seconds left. David cooly sank the three free throws, tying the game and forcing coach Yeng Guiao to draw up one final play.

With three players draped all over him, Paul Lee kicked it out to an open Beau Belga, who misfired the potential game-clinching three with a fraction of a second remaining. The Tigers had the chance to finish the Elasto Painters off but Doug Kramer couldn’t get a good roll after slicing into the lane.

Meanwhile, Petron Blaze and Talk ‘N Text break their 1-1 tie at 6:45 p.m. today in their own semifinal series.
Petron attacked the rim and got 13 second-chance points, scored 10 points off Talk ‘N Text turnovers in the third period and then held on for a 91-89 win last Saturday.

The scores:
POWERADE 104—David 31, Lassiter 14, Anthony 12, Kramer 12, Casio 11, Vanlandingham 10, Cruz 5, Adducul 5, Lingganay 2, Antonio 2, Allera 0, Crisano 0.
RAIN OR SHINE 99— Lee 19, Cruz 17, Chan 17, Belga 11, Norwood 10, Rodriguez 8, Arana 5, Matias 4, Tang 4, Quinahan 4, Buenafe 0, Ibanes 0.
Quarters: 19-28, 42-43, 69-64, 97-97, 104-99