Rain or Shine opens Jones Cup campaign with loss to Chinese Taipei-A
FILE – Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao. PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines-Rain or Shine got its campaign in the 42nd William Jones Cup off on a wrong foot after a 98-79 loss to Chinese-Taipei A on Saturday before a partisan crowd in Taiwan.
The Elasto Painters fell behind by 17 at the end of the first quarter as the Taiwanese rode on the shoulders of Mohammad Al Bashir Gadiaga and Will Artino that resulted in a one-sided affair at Taipei Heping Gymnasium.
Ange Kouame tried to lead Rain or Shine back but Chinese-Taipei proved to be the better side in the match that capped off the opener of the annual international tournament that made its return after a four-year absence due to the pandemic.
Kouame, one of two reinforcements tapped to beef up the PBA squad, had 15 points and 16 rebounds for the Elasto Painters.
Andrei Caracut had 18 points on 8-of-13 shooting to pace Rain or Shine while adding three assists, import Nick Evans posted 14 points and 12 rebounds while Rey Nambatac added 11.
Artino scored 23 points and nine rebounds, Gadiaga produced 22 points while Chien Lin Ting posted 16 points, five rebounds and four assists for Chinese-Taipei A.
Coach Yeng Guiao and the Elasto Painters will try to bounce back on Sunday when they face the host’s second team Chinese-Taipei B at 5 p.m.
Chinese-Taipei B defeated Japan’s U-22 team, 85-59, in one of the other opening day matches.
Korean Basketball League and East Asia Super League champion Anyang KGC, playing minus Rhenz Abando, downed the United Arab Emirates, 100-84, while University of California, Irvine walloped Qatar, 105-38.
