PBA: Almazan drops 17 as Rain or Shine wallops San Mig

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters established a 20-point cushion in the second period and never looked back, breezing past the San Mig Coffee Mixers, 101-77, on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

"[It's a] good time for our rookies to get confidence and get minutes," said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao. "Raymond [Almazan] and Alex [Nuyles] are getting in rhythm with the PBA kind of game."

Almazan, the third overall pick in the 2013 draft, was an anchor in the shaded lane for Rain or Shine, tallying 17 points, while gunners Jeff Chan and Paul Lee had 15 each. JR Quiñahan and Jervy Cruz also had 12 apiece for the Elasto Painters. Another rookie, Alex Nuyles, only had six, but two of them came at a time when James Yap was trying to mount a comeback for San Mig in the second period.

The win gives Rain or Shine solo hold of third place with a 7-3 card, just behind Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (9-1) and the Petron Blaze Boosters (8-2). Meanwhile, San Mig ties Barako Bull Energy and the Meralco Bolts with identical 3-7 win-loss cards. The only team faring worse is Air21 at 2-8.


Almazan helped establish a 9-6 lead early in the first before JR Quiñahan hit a long bomb to double San Mig's point production. The RoS big men got some help from TY Tang, as the Elasto Painters went up 22-10, before PJ Simon cut the lead to a single digit with a triple. Jervy Cruz and Paul Lee were effective in regaining the double-digit edge though, as Rain or Shine finished the period ahead, 27-17.

The Elasto Painters were relentless come the second period, peppering San Mig with 10 early points to go up by 18, 39-19. James Yap found his form right after, scoring at will to keep his team in the game, but for every Yap make, there was a Rain or Shine basket, as Chris Tiu made it a 20-point game, 50-30, with a little less than two minutes left in the first half.

RoS led by 23 at the break, 57-34.

This is the best way for us to end the year," added Guiao. "We caught San Mig Coffee on a night that they were mentally down. I don't think they're in this game mentally from the beginning. Lucky for us to catch them in this situation. We were shooting great tonight."

James Yap led San Mig with 16 points while Joe Devance chipped in 14. No other San Mig player registered in double figures, though, as PJ Simon and Marc Pingris pitched in nine and eight, respectively. - GMA News


The scores:

RAIN OR SHINE 101 - Almazan 17, Chan 15, Lee 15, Quinahan 12, Cruz 12, Rodriguez 7, Nuyles 6, Tiu 4, Tang 4, Norwood 4, Arana 3, Ibanes 2, Teng 0.

SAN MIG SUPER COFFEE 77 - Yap 16, Devance 14, Simon 9, Pingris 8, Reavis 8, Barroca 6, Cawaling 5, Acuna 3, Gaco 3, Sangalang 2, Melton 2, Mallari 1, De Ocampo 0, Holstein 0.

Quarters: 27-17, 57-34, 78-58, 101-77