SMART Clark Giga City - Rain or Shine won't prolong the excitement over which team would grab the last ticket to the quarterfinals, taking the honors in an 80-74 win over TNT Tropang Giga Tuesday in the PBA Philippine Cup bubble play at the Smart 5G-powered AUF Sports Center.
James Yap fuelled their strong start with 16 points in the first half, and the Elasto Painters simply hung tough at the finish to trip the Tropang Giga and claim a playoffs seat with a game to go in the elims.
Fellow veterans Beau Belga, Gabe Norwood and Mike Borboran did their part as the E-Painters scored the key win and, in the process slammed the door shut on the NLEX Road Warriors.
ROS joined Barangay Ginebra, TNT, Phoenix Super LPG, San Miguel Beer, Alaska Milk, Meralco and Magnolia in the post-elims play while NLEX took the exit along with Blackwater, NorthPort and Terrafirma.
"We're thinking TNT has secured a spot in the next round at baka mag-relax yan sa simula. We don't know the quotient that they need but we just have to be hungrier. It gave us the opportunity that we're able to grab," said Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia.
Sponsored content:
Garcia and his troops will be up against the Fuel Masters at the close of the elims play Wednesday. Garcia said they'll definitely come out and try to win as it may give them a shot at the Top Four.
"There's still the possibility of us ending in the Top Four. Susubukan namin kunin," said Garcia.
The Tropang Giga struggled hard with the injury-hit Jayson Castro sitting out the game.
They were able to put up a fight but floundered in the endgame and thus closing out their elims stint with a 7-4 win-loss slate.
After playing catch-up basketball most of the way, the Tropang Giga pulled even at 72-all on a booming trey by Bobby Ray Parks.
Sponsored content:
But the E-Painters refused to crack, going to Jvee Mocon and Norbert Torres to fuel an 8-2 windup on the way to an outright playoff entry.
Mocon wound up with 16 markers and 10 boards in a double-double outing, with Belga and Borboran adding 12 and 10 points, respectively.
Norwood and Yap hit career milestones.
With five rebounds, Norwood became the 55th member of the 3,000-rebound club.
Yap, meanwhile, went 4-of-7 from beyond the arc, tying Ronnie Magsanoc at third in the PBA all-time three-point ladder with 1,171. (SB)
The Scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 80 - Yap 16, Mocon 16, Belga 12, Borboran 10, Norwood 9, Rosales 6, Ponferada 5, Torres 4, Onwubere 1, Arana 1, Wong 0, Nambatac 0.
TNT 74 - Rosario 18, Erram 14, Parks 11, Enciso 9, Pogoy 9, Vosotros 6 Washington 4, Semerad 3, Carey 0, De leon 0, Alejandro 0, Montalbo 0, Flores 0.
Quarters: 13-19; 43-38; 67-57; 80-74
