Jay R. Gotera
MANILA — The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters rained three-pointers all night long to swamp the defending champion San Miguel Beermen, 99-84, Wednesday night to grab the solo lead in the PBA Philippine Cup with their third straight victory. The Beermen fell to a 2-1 card.
Raymond Almazan, Beau Belga and Jeff Chan led the Painters, finishing with 15 points apiece.
Gabe Norwood and rookie Maverick Ahanmisi both added 14 markers. The Painters took command of the game in the third quarter after drilling six three-pointers to outscore the Beermen, 30-14.
The Beermen cut the deficit to seven points in the fourth quarter but the Painters once again unleashed a barrage of three-pointers to repulse the Beermen.
Alex Cabagnot led SMB with 16 points while June Mar Fajardo had a double-double of 13 points and 10 rebounds.
Blackwater 92, Meralco 90
Carlo Lastimosa banked in the game-winning floater with a second left as perennial doormat Blackwater Elite stunned the Meralco Bolts, 92-90.
Lastimosa, an offseason acquisition from Barako Bull, soared high over the outstretched hands of Jared Dillinger after eluding Rey Guevarra to deliver the knockout blow for the Bolts which remained winless in two games.
Blackwater, which lost all its 11 games in last season’s Philippine Cup after joining the league last year, thus improved to a 1-2 win-loss card.
The Elite led by as much as 18 points in the third quarter before the Bolts unleashed a furious rally in the fourth period that nearly paid off.
Poy Erram posted a team-high 14 points on an efficient 7-of-10 shooting to lead six Elite players in double-digit scoring. The relatively unknown center also had five rebounds and three blocks before fouling out with still 4:35 remaining.
Reil Cervantes, Mike Cortez, James Sena and Bam Gamalinda added 12 points apiece.
Lastimosa added 11 markers, including the last three points of Blackwater, the first on a free throw before his game-winning shot.
Gary David led Meralco with 23 points, but missed mid-range jumper that could have tied the game in the endgame.
Cliff Hodge scored 13 points, including a three-pointer that tied the score at 90 before Lastimosa’s heroics.
Game Friday: Mahindra Enforcers vs. Alaska Aces, 7 pm Dubai, UAE.
