Painters drub Energy to stay on top in PBA

Jay R. Gotera
Saudi Gazette

MANILA — Even with their top two gunners riding the bench, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters still had enough firepower to demolish the Barako Bull Energy, 100-90, Sunday in the 2012 PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Their sixth victory in seven games kept the Painters in solo lead in the standings while the Energy’s win-loss record fell to 3-3, tying the idle Barangay Ginebra Kings at fifth to sixth place in the rankings.

In the nightcap of Sunday night’s twinbill, the Petron Blaze Boosters downed the B-Meg Llamados, 92-80, to take solo fourth place in the rankings with a 4-3 card. The loss snapped the Llamados’ five-game winning streak as they suffered only their second loss in seven games, sliding to solo second in the standings.

Petron’s comebacking Jay Washington led all players as he erupted for 29 points on 11-of-17 shooting, tying his career-high score.

Rain or Shine won despite being outrebounded by Barako Bull, 32-56. However, the Energy made just 36 of 85 field attempts. In contrast the Painters converted 35 of 73 shots, including 8-for-23 from beyond the arc. The Energy also committed 20 turnovers while the Painters only had nine.

Down by seven, 18-11, the Painters went on a 13-0 run to take a 24-18 lead with 4:05 left in the first quarter, a lead they protected for the rest of the game.

The Painters led by as many as 19 points twice, the last at 92-71, before coasting along.

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao even had the luxury of resting his import Jamelle Cornley and his prized rookie Paul Lee in the fourth quarter as his other players dominated their rivals on both ends of the floor. Cornley played just 29 minutes, scoring 18 points.

Lee, who was averaging 15.3 points per game, finished with just four points and was taken out late in the second quarter after injuring his left shoulder following a collision with the high-scoring Energy import Leroy Hickerson.