MANILA – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters now has the No. 1 spot in the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup all for itself after beating GlobalPort Batang Pier 96-90 in a highly physical match Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Reginald Johnson led with 18 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists for Painters (5-1). Negrense James Yap had 14 points while Maverick Ahanmisi and Raymond Almazan had 13 and 12, respectively.
In the second game, Phoenix Fuel Masters turned to its local crew in the second overtime to eke out a 103-98 victory over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings.
From a 45-all score at the half, Painters gained headway in the third quarter behind Beau Belga and Jewel Ponferrada for a 66-55 lead on a Yap triple but Batang Pier still managed to get close 62-67.
Batang Pier snatched the lead 77-75 on a Stanley Pringle but Painters countered with a run behind hits by Johnson, Belga and Chris Tiu for a 92-83 advantage.
GlobalPort made its last push to come to within 90-94 on conversions by Sean Anthony and Juan Nicholas Elorde but two free throws by Yap sealed the win for Painters.
Things turned awry several times for both teams. Batang Pier’s Malcolm White knocked down and bludgeoned Tiu with an elbow to the face. Kelly Nabong, also of Batang Pier, shoved Ahanmisi hard to the floor.
White led with 21 points and eight rebounds for Batang Pier (3-3). Stanley Pringle had 15 points while Sean Anthony and Nabong had 14 and 13, respectively.
In the second game, with import Eugene Phelps down due to cramps, Fuel Masters got back-to-back conversions from Negrense Jeffrei Chan and Matthew Wright to surge to a 99-94 advantage.
Kings made a run on inside hits by Japeth Aguilar and Greg Slaughter to cut the deficit 98-99 but an inside hit by Bacolodnon Justin Chua and two free throws by Rafael Jazul sealed the win for Fuel Masters.
Phelps led with double-double 25 points and 14 rebounds, Chan had conference-best 22 markers, while Wright had 19 points and 10 rebounds for Fuel Masters (3-2). Kings dropped to 1-3./PN
