Rain or Shine hits a streak, pads on to Talk ‘N Text skid

Rain or Shine knew it couldn’t afford to lose again after starting this year’s Governors’ Cup dropping four for its first five games.

The Elasto Painters are certainly not looking like a beatable team anymore after erasing a double-digit deficit for a resounding 88-73 win over the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters on Saturday night at USLS gym in Bacolod.

Import Wendell McKines had a solid outing with 28 points on 12-of-19 shooting from the field and 16 rebounds for Rain or Shine, which celebrated its first winning streak and third win of the conference.

The Painters also forced a three-way tie with the Texters and Barangay Ginebra Kings in seventh place.

Talk ‘N Text, which stumbled to its third setback in a row, failed to maintain a 15-point lead it built early in the second quarter and watched as Rain or Shine turned the game around completely in the fourth quarter.

Jericho Cruz sparked a relentless fourth quarter by Rain or Shine with his aggressiveness and Raymond Almazan made sure his teammate’s effort wouldn’t be out to waste with as he stepped up as well.

Cruz finished with nine points, eight rebounds and four assists. The fearless guard scored seven of his points in the final 7:57. Almazan, the 6-foot-7 beanpole, had 10 points, highlighted by back-to-back dunks to punctuate Rain or Shine’s big win.

Almazan’s first slam off two hands pushed the Painters’ lead to 13 with 1:07 left while his one-handed dunk came 27 seconds later to the delight of the large crowd. RC