MANILA -- The Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters spoiled Terrence Romeo’s debut with San Miguel Beer and hacked out a 108-98 win in the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Friday night.
The Beermen actually started the game pretty well, going on an 8-0 run before opening a 25-13 lead in the first quarter behind the hot hands of Marcio Lassiter and Kelly Nabong.
But ROS responded with a 31-15 second quarter to take a 54-42 halftime lead.
The team even threatened to pull away early in the third quarter, extending its lead to 18 points, 66-48.
However, Lassiter came alive again later in the third and helped SMB cut the lead to four, 81-77, with 1:02 to go in the period.
The defending champion even inched closer early in the fourth period, drawing to within three, 86-89, after triples from Romeo and Von Pessumal.
However, a booming triple from rookie Javee Mocon sparked a brief yet pivotal 5-0 E-Painters run that helped them hold off the Beermen in the end.
James Yap continued his resurgence with a 21-point performance for ROS alongside four rebounds, one assist, and one steal.
Mocon added 18 points, 17 rebounds, four assists, and one steal as the Welcoat franchise bounced back from a stinging defeat to Blackwater, which lost to Phoenix, 95-114, in the first game, snapping its unbeaten run and moving up to 3-1.
Norbert Torres put up a perfect game, making all his five field goal attempts, including all his three tries from three-point range and both his free throws to finish with 15 markers along with two rebounds, two assists, one block, and one steal.
Lassiter finished with 27 points, burying seven triples, five rebounds, three assists, and one block for SMB, which fell to 2-3.
Fajardo added 24 markers, 14 caroms, four dimes, and four blocks.
In his first game as a Beerman, Romeo put up 11 points, five rebounds, four dimes, and one steal off the bench, although he only made four shots out of 12 tries.
In the first game, the Fuel Masters pummeled the Elite from the get-go, closing the first quarter up, 37-18, before stretching their lead to as high as 37 points, 85-48, in the third quarter and never looking back.
Calvin Abueva made 22 points, converting on nine of 13 field goal attempts, together with 14 rebounds, four assists, and two blocks for Phoenix, which remained the lone unbeaten team in the team standings at 4-0.
The team prevented Blackwater from ending an unbeaten run for the second straight game.
Matt Wright added 19 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, and five steals, although he somehow struggled, only scoring one made triple out of seven attempts and committing seven turnovers.
Abu Tratter had his best game so far in his maiden PBA journey, dropping 24 points, eight rebounds, one assist, and four steals for the Elite, who fell to 1-3.
Fellow rookie Paul Desiderio also up an impressive game, making 12 points, one rebound, two assists, and one steal.
Mac Belo, on the other hand, showed that he is getting his groove again, scoring 13 markers, nine boards, four dimes, two swipes, and one block. (PNA)
