By REYNALD MAGALLON
Rain or Shine doused the repeated rallies from Phoenix and came away with a 105-98 victory to finally break through in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Tuesday, July 21.
The Elasto Painters led by as many as 20 points but had to weather a pair of furious Fuel Masters rally in the second half to bag their first win of the season-ending conference while also handing Phoenix its first taste of defeat.
Aaron Fuller showed a sense of urgency, posting a double-double of 28 points and 16 rebounds — including a clutch short stab off an Adrian Nocum pass with 9.4 seconds left to finally slam the door on Phoenix comeback.
Nocum did a little bit of everything with 18 points, eight assists and six rebounds while Mike Malonzo had 12 points and six rebounds and Caelan Tiongson with 11.
ROS improved to a 2-1 record while Phoenix, although it remains atop the Group B standings, slid to a 3-1 slate.
The Elasto Painters threatened to break the game wide open when they erected a 78-58 lead in the third quarter but the Fuel Masters suddenly came alive on the heels of a fiery 21-4 run to come within one, 79-80.
An Andrei Caracut trey and back-to-back inside hits from Fuller triggered a massive 19-5 counter attack for ROS to restore order, 99-84.
Still, Phoenix refused to go down without a fight and kept itself within striking distance, 98-103 before Fuller finally delivered the killing blow.
Meanwhile, Chris Newsome scored the game-winning layup with 3.9 seconds left as Meralco averted a huge a collapse and slipped past Blackwater, 116-114, to pick up its second win.
The Bolts squandered a huge 18-point lead in the final frame with Bossing unloading a fiery rally that knotted the game at 114-all before Meralco put up a tough defensive stand that led to Newsome’s go-ahead basket on a fastbreak.
Blackwater actually had the chance to take the lead after tying the game but it missed its two attempts. Chris Banchero then grabbed the round and immediately raced to their side of the court where he found Newsome free under the basket.
Newsome finished with 16 points to support import Antonio Hester who put up 25 points and 12 rebounds. Banchero also chipped in 16 points built on three four-pointers while CJ Cansino chipped in 15 for the Bolts, who improved to a 2-1 record.
Meralco handed Blackwater its first defeat after its giant-slaying ways through the first two games where it took down perennial contenders Magnolia and Rain or Shine.
