MANILA -- Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters needed overtime before shutting down Meralco Bolts, 106-99, in their PBA Commissioner's Cup showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City Sunday night.
The Elasto Painters survived a slow second half as the Bolts could not complete the comeback, and the former stifled the latter in the extra five minutes to not just secure a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals but as well as the top seed with a match to spare.
Following a hot second quarter, during which ROS dropped 36 points for a 64-51 halftime lead, the team slowed down and let Meralco score 30 in the third quarter and only making 12 in the fourth.
However, the Bolts failed to capitalize down the stretch in regulation as they failed to score in the last 2:26 of regulation, and the E-Painters, who had their own drought in the dying moments of the regulation that lasted for 4:15, stretched the Bolts' struggles into the extension, only limiting them to three points in the five-minute period.
Reggie Johnson made 21 points, 18 rebounds, one assist, three blocks, and one steal, while Maverick Ahanmisi added 20 points, eight rebounds, and six assists for ROS, which will close out its elimination campaign against TNT on July 7.
Chris Newsome tallied 21 markers, 11 assists, seven rebounds, and one steal for Meralco, which at 7-4 to finish the eliminations now needs to hope that Alaska Aces and TNT KaTropa falters in their last games to have a chance to join ROS with the twice-to-beat edge in the quarters.
The Aces' own quest for a Top 2 finish got into a road block following a 105-86 blowout by Barangay Ginebra in the second game.
Ginebra quickly turned the match into a laugher at the very beginning, opening a 30-16 first quarter lead as Alaska felt the absence of Calvin Abueva and Jeron Teng.
Justin Brownlee flirted with a triple-double after tallying 28 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists with one steal for the Barangay, who put one foot into a quarterfinal berth with a July 6 showdown against the GlobalPort Batang Pier, their remaining game in the eliminations.
LA Tenorio added 12 points, five rebounds, three assists, and five steals.
Vic Manuel made 20 markers, four rebounds, and two assists for the Aces, who now need to beat Phoenix Fuel Masters also on July 6 to stay in the Top 2 hunt. (PNA)
