Yeng Guiao: Bullish (insidesports.ph photo)
MANILA, Philippines—Even Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao was clueless on how his team rallied past San Mig Coffee, 80-79, Sunday night in the 38th PBA Philippine Cup.
Like the stunned predominantly San Mig Coffee crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Guiao was at a loss for words.
“Don’t ask me how I won. I don’t really know how we won it. We played really ugly basketball but we still won,” said Guiao, struggling to find the right words. “There’s no explanation. It’s beyond analysis, it’s beyond assessment.”
Indeed. Trailing by as much as 18 and 16, 50-66, entering the final quarter, The Elasto Painters looked nothing like the team that beat the Mixers for the Governors’ Cup title last season.
“We just tried to cut the possession for possession but we didn’t know if we can win it,” admitted Guiao.
ROS, which is still missing the services of Paul Lee and rookie Chris Tiu due to injury, though, found a way as it leaned on its sharpshooter Jeff Chan.
Chan knocked down 10 of his 22 points, including a pair of momentum swinging four-point plays, the last one a bank shot despite getting clipped by Welsey Gonzales to tie the score at 77, with 2:29 left.
Beau Belga followed up Chan’s shot with another big shot, this time an open triple to put ROS ahead for good, 80-77, with 1:50 remaining.
“It will rank as one of my weirdest wins. There is no logical way to explain it,” added Guiao, whose squad notched its fourth win in five games.
The Mixers rode on PJ Simon down the stretch after James Yap got ejected with still 2:34 left.
Simon shot 11 of his 17 markers in the second half, including a jumper to cut the Elasto Painters’ lead to one, 80-79, with 1:28 remaining.
He did, though couldn’t convert a heavily contested drive that would’ve put his team back on top. Simon faked right and eluded Jireh Ibanes but big man JR Quinahan was there for the help defense that stopped him.
Quinahan was fouled in the ensuing play but couldn’t deliver the insurance free throws with 5.3 ticks left.
Luckily for Rain or Shine, Mark Barroca threw a late pass to Jonas Villanueva, who fumbled the ball first before putting up a shot, as time expired.
Yap had a game-high 28 points before getting slapped with a flagrant foul penalty after a technical foul earlier in the game.
Jervy Cruz, the former University of Santo Tomas standout, continued his strong play with 10 points, nine rebounds and a block.
Rafi Reavis completed a three-point play that gave the Mixers their biggest lead, 53-35, at the 8:00 minute mark of the third quarter.