PBA: Surging Rain or Shine escapes Meralco in wild finish

Rain or Shine rolled to its fourth win in a row after pulling off a pulsating 85-83 win over Meralco in the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Elasto Painters once stared at a 72-79 hole in the fourth frame, but held the Bolts scoreless in four minutes before unleashing a 13-3 closing run to improve to 4-2 in Group B after losing their first two games. Meralco, meanwhile, dropped its third straight game to go 2-4.

Aaron Fuller led the way with 25 points, including the insurance basket late in the fourth, while also grabbing 13 rebounds, two steals, and one assist. Rookie Deo Cuajao dropped 12 points and four boards in another starter role while Jhonard Clarito and Caelan Tiongson chipped in 11 markers apiece.

"Ito siguro 'yung isa sa mga pinakamasamang laro namin but we found ways in the endgame to carve out a win," Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao said.

"Our free throws is really bad. We missed 15 free throws. 'Yung dalawang huli naman could have won us the game already pero ang naipanalo namin free throws din, buti nag-mintis din 'yung kay Bong Quinto."

After a Javee Mocon triple gave Meralco a 79-72 cushion, Rain or Shine refused to back down as Fuller and Luis Villegas ignited a 9-2 run that erased the deficit and knotted the game at 81-all with 2:43 remaining

Clarito then sliced through the defense for a go-ahead layup to put the Elasto Painters ahead by two, but Cliff Hodge answered immediately with a basket of his own, snapping the Bolts' scoring drought and restoring the deadlock.

Villegas secured the board off back-to-back misses from Chris Newsome before Nocum dished out the dime that led to a Fuller layup and a crucial 85-83 lead for Rain or Shine with only 39.4 ticks to go.

Villegas came up with a crucial block on Antonio Hester, but Adrian Nocum's costly foul on Bong Quinto gave Meralco a chance to tie the game at the free throw line.

Quinto, however, missed both attempts—his first misses from the stripe in this conference—allowing Rain or Shine to escape with a two-point victory.

Scores:

Rain or Shine 85 – Fuller 25, Cuajao 12, Tiongson 11, Clarito 11,Asistio 7, Nocum 6, Manaytay 5, Villegas 5, Malonzo 2, Caracut 1.

Meralco 83 – Newsome 16, Hester 15, Mocon 14, Hodge 14, Black 7, Quinto 6, Maliksi 6, Banchero 2, Rios 2, Bates 1.

Quarters: 25-18, 48-47. 68-75, 85-83.

—JKC, GMA News