Rain or Shine guard Anton Asistio celebrates during a game against TNT in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
MANILA, Philippines–Rain or Shine nipped TNT, 106-96, on Friday night to secure a comfortable spot in the next round of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The Elastopainters had three standouts scoring at least 20 points in the triumph at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City that had the club ending the elimination phase as the No. 6 seed with a 7-5 win-loss record.
“It’s our biggest win this conference. Appropriately, it’s also our seventh. It also avoided a playoff for us, and we battle Magnolia. We didn’t want that and I told the players to pour it all out here today,” head coach Yeng Guiao said.
READ: PBA: Bolick, NLEX beat Rain or Shine to keep playoff bid alive
Import Deon Thompson finished with 22 points and 16 rebounds, Anton Asistio 21 points, while Santi Santillan 20 to help the squad steer away from a perilous spot and, instead, drag NLEX in a you-or-me against the Hotshots for the 8th and final seed set Sunday in Antipolo City.
“We’re playing the quarterfinals in best-of-three. This is the best scenario for us considering we played terribly in January after a five-game winning streak,” Guiao said.
Caelan Tiongson added 13 points and 10 rebounds in the win that also snapped the Elastopainters’ two-game slide and arranged a race-to-two with No. 3 Converge in the quarterfinals
READ: PBA: Ginebra books quarterfinal spot with rout of Rain or Shine
Resident import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson scored 23 points, grabbed 10 rebounds and dished out eight assists in the losing stand that hardly changed the course of the Tropang Giga, who still went home winners finishing as the No. 2 seed, and will have twice-to-beat edge in the next round.
TNT, champions of the Governors’ Cup, will battle Hong Kong in the first round of the knockout stages.