RAIN or Shine turned back a shorthanded Meralco side, 94-81, in an exhibition game that featured both teams without an import Thursday night at the University of St. La Salle Coliseum in Bacolod City.
Leonard Santillan's double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds paced the Elasto Painters, who led the entire match except briefly early in the opening quarter.
Andrew Caracut and Jhonard Clarito also had 12 points each for Rain or Shine, which led by as many as 50-30 early in the third quarter.
The Elasto Painters didn't play import DaJuan Summers as the Bolts have yet to bring in a reinforcement pending the arrival of Suleiman Braimoh.
The exhibition match is part of the province's celebration of the Masskara Festival.
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Guard Diego Dario showed the way for the Bolts with 20 points as the team missed the services of Cliff Hodge, Raymond Almazan, Allein Maliksi, Anjo Caram, and Bong Quinto due to injuries.
Gilas Pilipinas mainstay Chris Newsome also didn't suit up.
The game also saw rookie big man Brandon Bates playing for the first time for Meralco, finishing with four points and four rebounds.(RG)
The scores
Rain or Shine (94) - Santillan 16, Caracut 12, Clarito 12, Borboran 10, Concepcion 9, Belga 7, Asistio 6, Belo 6, Yap 5, Datu 5, Ildefonso 4, Nambatac 2, Mamuyac 0.
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Meralco (81) - Dario 20, Rios 17, Black 14, Jose 6, Pascual 6, Pasaol 5, Torres 4, Bates 4, Banchero 3, Jackson 2.
Quarterscores: 17-15; 43-30; 70-59; 91-81.
