MANILA – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters barged into the “win column” of the 2019 Honda PBA Commissioner’s Cup in style. It dominated defending champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, 104-81, last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Rey Nambatac was on fire with seven triples for 30 points while Denzel Bowles had double-double 25 points and 17 rebounds.
The Painters tasted its first win in three matches.
Both teams have their runs in the first two quarters with the Painters slightly ahead at 42-40 before they went on a late run on back-to-back treys by Nambatac for a 52-45 halftime edge.
The Painters went on to take a 55-45 edge after a triple by James Yap but the Kings clawed its way back for a 61-59 edge before the Painters ended the quarter on consecutive hits by Nambatac for a 75-66 count.
The lead swelled further for the Painters in the fourth period on inside shots from Bowles, Javee Mocon and Rodolfo Alejandro for its biggest lead at 102-77 with over two minutes left.
Justin Brownlee finished with double-double 30 points and 17 rebounds. Japeth Aguilar added 17 markers for the Kings, which dropped to 2-2 win-loss card with the defeat.
In the first game, the Meralco Bolts got it going in the second half to score a 101-95 victory over the undermanned Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters for its second consecutive victory.
From a back-and-forth action in the first half, the Bolts found themselves behind 46-51 early in the third before going on a huge run behind Gani Lawal and Baser Amer to take an 80-72 lead.
The Fuel countered with a huge rally to cut the deficit to 93-94 before the Bolts came up with a finishing run on free throws by Ranidel de Ocampo, Chris Newsome and Lawal to ice the victory.
Lawal had double-double 28 points and 26 rebounds, while Amer chipped in 20 markers for the Bolts, which hiked its record to 3-2. Matthew Wright finished with 20 points for the Fuel Masters (1-2)./PN
