SOURCE: PBA.PH
Wed, 12/02/2009 - 20:35
Jeffrei Chan scored in traffic with 13 seconds remaining as Rain or Shines upset defending champion Talk ‘N Text, 95-93 Wednesday night in the 2009-10 KFC-PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
But it was Ryan Arana who led all scorers with 20 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter to spark a last-ditch rally by the Elasto Painters, who trailed by 20 points early in the third quarter and by 12 with six and a half minutes left to play.
It marked the first time that RoS had won back-to-back in the conference but it raised the hopes of coach Caloy Garcia with regards to their chances of advancing to the quarters.
“We are the worst 3-point shooting team and the worst free throw shooting team. But the good thing is we are not the last team in the standings. I hope things will get better in the second round and we’ll be able to make it to the quarterfinals,’ Garcia said.
Although he was visibly celebrating the win, Garcia didn’t forget to commend Eddie Laure for his defensive effort.
“Eddie did a good job slowing down Jimmy (Alapag) and that was the key,” Garcia noted. “It was a big win for us.”
Gave Norwood poured 10 of his 13 points in the second half, Mike Hrabak added 12 and Jay-R Reyes had 11 points and 11 rebounds for the Painters, who improved to 3-7 (win-loss) record without starting guard Sol Mercado, who was nursing a fever, and rookie Marcy Arellano who rested a hurting right shin.
It was disappointing defeat for the Tropang Texters, who appeared to have the game in control by the time Nic Belasco made two free throws to give TnT a 54-34 lead early in the third period.
But they shot just 18 percent (3-of-16) throughout the period while the Painters made 50 percent of their field goals enabling them to cut the deficit to just 65-71 going into the fourth.
Harvey Carey scored all his 14 points in the fourth and Ali Peek had as many for TNT, which snapped a two-game winning streak and fell to 6-4.
With Carey asserting his huge frame in the lane, Talk 'N Text stretched the lead to 85-73 four minutes into the fourth and it looked like the Tropang Texters had it all wrapped up.
But the Painters refused to go away. With Arana and Chan (14 points) scoring mostly on drives, RoS slowly got back into the game.
Arana’s put RoS ahead, 92-91, with a three point play with 1:21 left to play. But Ranidel de Ocampo sank two freebies in the next play to give TNT a one point lead.
The two teams traded turnovers before Chan got a pass from the right corner. He quickly attack the lane scored on a reverse shot to put the Elasto Painters ahead to stay.
Jimmy Alapag scored 13 and Macmac Cardona added 12 but the two of them accounted for nine of TNT’s 16 turnovers. (DBC)
The scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 95 - Arana 20, Chan 14, Norwood 13, Hrabak 12, Reyes 11, Telan 11, Laure 6, Cruz 3, Ibanes 3, Tang 2, Dulay 0.
TALK ‘N TEXT 93 - Carey 14, Peek 14, De Ocampo R. 13, Alapag 13, Cardona 12, Dillinger 8, Castro 6, De Ocampo Y. 6, Ritualo 4, Belasco 3.
QUARTERSCORES: 14-23, 34-52, 65-71, 95-93.
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