PBA: With Bowles out, Rain or Shine beats Alaska for much-needed win

MANILA, Philippines–Rain or Shine, even after losing import Denzel Bowles midway the contest, managed to gut out an 86-84 victory over Alaska  Saturday night in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup action at Mall of Arena in Pasay.

Mark Borboran filled the void left by Bowles, scoring seven of his team’s last 12 points to nudge the ElastoPainters back into the win column and to the sixth spot of the draw.

“It’s a huge win for us but also a big loss as we don’t know Denzel’s status yet,” said Painters coach Caloy Garcia, whose wards improved to 4-5. “Most probably he’ll be out.

“He really wanted to win. It’s so unfortunate that we missed him in the second half,“ he said of his American reinforcement.

Bowles already had 16 points when he was brought to the dugout and eventually to the hospital after hurting his left knee off a collision with Aces forward Jeron Teng.

“Hats off to the players because they really played their hearts out,” said Garcia of his charges resolve in the final two quarters.

Rain or Shine soldiered on with Javee Mocon and Borboran scoring 11 each. Rey Nambatac added 10 more in the effort to help erase the bitter taste of the losses to NLEX and TNT just last week.

Alaska drew 23 points from Chris Banchero and 22 more from import Diamon Simpson. Vic Manuel tossed in 13.

But their productions were the only significant contributions in the Aces’ bid to arrest a losing slide of their own.

The Aces have now lost four straight, settling for a 4-5 record with Blackwater left to play against.

The Painters, meanwhile, have two more assignments left. They play Magnolia on Wednesday at Araneta Coliseum and the cramming San Miguel Beer on Saturday in Cagayan de Oro.