MANILA – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters overcame a slow start to score a 113-96 victory over Meralco Bolts in the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup over the weekend at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Reinforcement Steve Taylor Jr. returned from a one-game absence to finish with 20 points, 15 rebounds, five assists and two steals. The Painters snapped a two-game slide for a 3-2 win-loss slate.
Gian Mamuyac added 21 points, with 15 coming in the opening half, while Mike Nieto chipped in 21 markers, as Andrei Caracut and Rey Nambatac contributed 10 points each for the Painters.
Down by as much as 14 points in the first quarter, the Painters turned things around in the second quarter behind the exploits of Mamuyac and Anton Asistio to take a 57-50 halftime lead.
The Bolts tried to keep the match close several times in the second half but the Painters got huge contributions from Nambatac, Taylor and Nieto as they cruised to their biggest lead of 17 points.
Johnny O’Bryant led the way with 30 points, including five triples, Raymond Almazan had double-double 20 points and 12 rebounds, while Kier John Quinto and Anjo Caram had 19 and 14, respectively, as the Bolts dropped to 1-5.
Meanwhile, TNT Tropang Giga leaned on a strong second half breakaway to defeat Blackwater Bossing, 108-98. The Tropang Giga improved to 3-2 in the standings, while the Bossing dropped to 3-4.
Down 56-60 early in the third quarter, the Tropang Giga leaned on consecutive baskets by Roger Pogoy, Calvin Oftana and Cameron Oliver to take a 69-65 edge. Consecutive points by Oliver widened the lead to 83-72 after three quarters.
TNT went on to build its largest lead of 15 points in the fourth period behind outside conversions by Mikey Williams, the Bossing made a late rally but only managed to come to as close as 10 points.
Oliver tallied double-double 38 points and 10 rebounds, Williams hoisted six triples to end up with 28 markers, while Pogoy and Oftana contributed 11 points each for the Tropang Giga.
BOX SCORE:
RAIN OR SHINE 113 – Taylor Jr. 22, Mamuyac 21, Nieto 21, Caracut 10, Nambatac 10, Asistio 9, Torres 8, Belga 6, Santillan 4, Ponferrada 2, Borboran 0, Norwood 0.
MERALCO 96 – O’Bryant 30, Almazan 20, Quinto 19, Caram 14, Maliksi 7, Black 4, Banchero 2, Hodge 0, Pasaol 0, Pascual 0.
Quarterscores: 26-34, 57-50, 89-77, 113-96./PN
