PBA: Rain or Shine romps over B-MEG, enters Finals for the first time in franchise history

(Updated 10:14pm) The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters made history, reaching the championship round of a conference tournament for the first time in the franchise's existence with a 92-82 win over last conference's titlists, the B-MEG Llamados, Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

"Playing against this team, Tim Cone, James Yap, Pingris, and their import was fantastic. We just probably got them on their bad night." said Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao.

The victory put RoS into the Finals of the 2012 Governors' Cup, while B-MEG will have to defeat the winner of the Barangay Ginebra Kings versus the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters tiff in a playoff on Friday to get revenge on the Elasto Painters or otherwise begin their summer vacation.


The Elasto Painters led as much as 23 late in the third quarter, before a series of runs by the Llamados brought the deficit down to six, 88-82, as Marqus Blakely scored on a drive with 55 seconds remaining. But it would be the last time that B-MEG put points on the board, as a James Yap miss from the three-point region with 25 seconds remaining sealed the fate of the Llamados, with Paul Lee and Beau Belga clinching the game from the foul line.

The first period saw four deadlocks before Jervy Cruz put the Elasto Painters up for good, 23-20. In the second, RoS started hitting their treys, with Ronjay Buenafe and Jeff Chan stringing together nine points from long range.

With 4:45 left in the second period and the Rain or Shine up 48-31, a technical foul called on an argumentative Llamados head coach Tim Cone woke his team up, allowing them to trail by just eight points, 49-41, entering halftime.

Despite the setback, Yeng Guiao's charges came blazing back to post a 72-51 advantage with 2:21 left in the third period, and they managed to withstand the last rallies of B-MEG on route to the historic victory.

"Nothing could be more satisfying than to make the finals for a dedicated team [and] owners," Guiao also said. "Kaya naman pala kahit isang maliit na team na naniniwala na dito sa ligang ito, mapakita yung buti ng mga tao behind the organization.

"It's very satisfying for me. Maliliit na owners but we're here, lumalaban. Baka makapuwing; baka maka-tsamba. Laban lang,"

Jeff Chan poured in 25 points on 7-of-17 shooting, nine coming from beyond the arc. Import Jamelle Cornley added a monstrous double-double of 16 points and 16 rebounds, while Ronjay Buenafe sparked 11 markers in just 14 minutes of action.

Chan and rookie Paul Lee (eight points, all from the foul line, and four assists) were both questionable headed into the game due to injuries suffered against their previous opponent, the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters, but it didn't stop them from taking to the court in this crucial game.

B-MEG got 18 points and 11 rebounds from import Marqus Blakely, while guards James Yap, Jonas Villanueva, Mark Barroca and PJ Simon combined for 42 of the squad's 82 total.  - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

Rain or Shine 92 - Chan 25, Cornley 16, Buenafe 11, Cruz 9, Lee 8, Norwood 7, Belga 7, Quinahan 7, Ibanes 2, Tang 0, Arana 0.

B-MEG 82 - Blakely 18, Yap 12, Villanueva 11, Barroca 10, Simon 9, Pingris 8, De Ocampo 6, Gaco 4, Reavis 4, Urbiztondo 0.

Quarter scoring: 23-20, 49-41, 74-58, 92-82