RAIN or Shine spoiled Justin Brownlee's return party with Barangay Ginebra.
Aaron Fuller and the Elasto Painters outfought Brownlee and the Gin Kings in a low-scoring duel, coming through with a lethal run in the fourth quarter for a 73-64 decision in their road duel in the PBA Governors' Cup at the Candon City Arena in Candon, Ilocos Sur Saturday.
The E-Painters decked the Kings with a 21-12 tear in the final period for a second straight win following a 110-97 disposal of the Blackwater Bossing Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Fuller was good for 16 points, Andrei Caracut 14 and rookie Felix Lemetti 13 -- enough effort to lead Rain or Shine to early leadership in Group B as they denied the Kings a triumphant debut in the new season.
It was a gripping battle with Japeth Aguilar top scoring for Ginebra with 20 as Brownlee, a big star for Team Philippines in championship runs in the Southeast Asian Games in Cambodia and the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China and later in the Olympic Qualifying Tournament in Latvia, was held to 18.
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Stephen Holt, a top rookie last season acquired by Ginebra while giving away Christian Standhardinger and Stanley Pringle, scored 13 in his first game as a Gin King.
It boiled down to a battle in the payoff period as the two teams fought tooth and nail through the first three quarters.
Ginebra took a 52-51 edge at the end of the third but then struggled for just 12 in the payoff period.
Lemetti and Fuller teamed up for the big buckets for Rain or Shine in the crunch, spoiling Brownlee's first PBA outing since April 2023.
Lemetti, the Fil-Swedish eighth pick overall, dropped eight of his 13 points in the stretch to spark a 16-3 closing barrage that overturned the Gin Kings' 62-57 advantage.(SB)
