MANILA – Rain or Shine Elasto Painters stayed alive in the 2019 Honda PBA Philippine Cup semifinals. It posted a 91-81 victory over Magnolia Hotshots in Game 6 last night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Leveling the series at 3-3, the Painters forced a do-or-die Game 7 on Sunday.
Rey Nambatac caught fire in the fourth quarter with four three-point conversions to finish with 16 points. Negrense James Yap also produced 16 markers.
Beau Belga contributed 15 markers, with nine coming in the first quarter, and Jewel Ponferrada tallied 11.
The Hotshots got to a 9-3 start on a triple by Robbie Herndon and inside hit by Rafael Reavis but the Painters relied on consecutive points from Belga to seize the lead at 21-17.
The Hotshots managed to take the lead early in the second period before making the match a seesaw affair. A barrage of triples from the Painters late in the period, however, gave it a 41-35 halftime edge.
Magnolia launched a rally anew at the onset of the second half to surge to a 51-49 lead but the Painters got hits from Ponferrada and Kris Rosales to knot the count at 62-all after three quarters.
Both teams were tied at 64-all in the fourth period when the Painters unloaded a huge run behind four three-point conversion by Nambatac to build its largest lead at 88-76.
Ian Sangalang tallied 19 points, while Lee chipped in 18 markers for the Hotshots./PN
