PBA: Rain or Shine posts first win of the 2014 Governors Cup

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters were able to avoid falling into a 0-3 hole by blowing out the GlobalPort Batang Pier, 119-97, Sunday at the MOA Arena, registering their first win in the 2015 Governors Cup.

Rain or Shine, which began the conference with losses to Air21 and San Miguel Beer, is now 1-2, while GlobalPort was unable to build off the momentum of their win over the Alaska Aces, to tie their opponents in the standings.

Paul Lee starred for RoS with 17 points after going 3-of-6 from deep and 5-of-9 overall, while import Arizona Reid added to the three-point barrage to quell any form of a GlobalPort run in the endgame.

An active Rain or Shine squad looked to establish an early lead from tipoff, as Jeff Chan, Raymond Almazan and Arizona Reid poured it on to establish an 8-0 cushion. The Batang Pier countered with their own run, cutting the lead to one with less than six minutes remaining in the first.

An exchange between Leroy Hickerson and Reid gave GlobalPort sporadic tastes of the lead. Free throws from RR Garcia with 43 ticks remaining put the Batang Pier ahead by four, but Ryan Arana cashed in on hardwork to score four straight, tying the game after one, 25-all.

Mark Macapagal battled Arana early in the second, as the shooter drained treys to keep GlobalPort humming amidst the more fluid Rain or Shine offense. Batang Pier went up anew after Jay Washington and Eric Menk got involved, but Paul Lee dazzled with his inside-outside game to force a 40-all deadlock. Terrence Romeo responded with an open three from the corner, but Rain or Shine went to Lee and Almazan to establish a five-point cushion after two, 50-45.



Hickerson opened up the third with a triple, but it was all Rain or Shine from there on. Reid's sheer size yielded easy baskets, while Gabe Norwood and Jeff Chan found their way to net points from all places on the court. A tough and-one by Reid stretched the lead to 15, as Alex Cabagnot tried to inspire his team with seven straight markers. The Elasto Painters' active defense yielded turnovers, though, while their ability to find the open man made it a 19-point game after three quarters, 89-70.

Rain or Shine looked to run away with the victory to start the fourth, as Larry Rodriguez bumped the lead up to 21, forcing GlobalPort head coach Pido Jarencio to call for time. The short break may have worked, as Nico Salva joined Romeo and Hickerson to cut the lead to 14, 91-77. The Elasto Pinters offered some resistance, but Romeo converted on an and-one after a missed Macapagal attempt from deep to slice the lead even further to 13, 95-82, with six minutes and change remaining.

As GlobalPort forced triples, Reid and the rest of Rain or Shine continued to pound the ball inside to establish another 17-point lead.  The tandem of Romeo and Cabagnot was able to create from the line and through drives to cut the lead anew to 12, but Reid responded on the block before finding Lee for a long three, 107-90.

Another Romeo missed pull-up attempt in transition spelled doom for GlobalPort, as Rain or Shine milked away the clock in the last 2:16 to secure the victory. - AMD, GMA News



The scores:

RAIN OR SHINE 119 - Reid 30, Chan 19, Lee 17, Rodriguez 13, Arana 11, Almazan 7, Norwood 6, Tang 5, Uyloan 4, Teng 3, Belga 2, Tiu 2, Cruz 0, Nuyles 0, Ibanes 0

GLOBALPORT 97 - Romeo 22, Cabagnot 21, Hickerson 20, Washington 13, Menk 8, Macapagal 6, Garcia 5, Salva 2, Matias 0, Taha 0, Ponferada 0, Salvador 0, Sharma 0

Quarter scoring: 25-25, 50-45, 89-70, 119-97