CHRIS Tiu got a bloodied mouth Sunday but wound up busting GlobalPort's hopes instead.
Tiu exemplified Rain or Shine resolve by helping the team overcome the Batang Pier, 96-90, to reclaim solo leadership and gain a quarterfinals foothold in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.
After getting a busted upper lip near the midway point of the final quarter, Tiu returned in the last 3:20 and promptly scored five of his 10 points with his dagger of a triple giving the Elasto Painters a 92-83 count, going to the last 74 seconds.
Sean Anthony and Nico Elorde led an equally gritty fightback by the Batang Pier that brought them within four, but charity splits by James Yap and Reggie Johnson were enough to bring Rain or Shine home.
"I think it's the best revenge for what that person did to me," said Tiu, referring to his plays that came after GlobalPort import Malcolm White bloodied his mouth with a seemingly inadvertent elbow during a rebound play.
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At the end of the fiercely-fought match, the E-Painters emerged with their fifth win in six games to break out of an erstwhile leadership tie with idle TNT and Alaska.
"At least hindi tinanggal 'yung focus nila," said Rain or Shne coach Caloy Garcia, referring to the numerous stoppages that disrupted the game, including one that involved Tiu and another during a wild scramble at the last 3:20 mark that led to the ejection of Batang Pier Kelly Nabong and E-Painter Maverick Ahanmisi.
"After that incident, the nice thing about it is that Chris was still able to deliver when he came in," added Garcia.
Johnson finished with 18 points, 16 rebounds and seven assists before fouling out with only 18 seconds left and after carrying on a heated conversation with White for most of the second half.
Yap came off the bench for 14 points, Ahanmisi wound up with 13 points and six rebounds before getting ejected for a fighting foul along with Nabong, while Raymond Almazan chipped in 12 points, eight rebounds and a late hit with his shoulder on White's mouth.
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Hobbled by four fouls that forced him to sit out the final 5:44 of the second quarter, White still notched 21 points and eight rebounds to lead GlobalPort.
Stanley Pringle added 15 points and six boards and Sean Anthony 14 and 14 for the Batang Pier, who dropped to an even 3-3 slate.
After a 45-all halftime count, Rain or Shine actually surged to a 66-55 lead late in the third quarter. But White, Nabong and Pringle combined to keep GlobalPort within striking distance before Nabong's freebie trimmed the deficit to just 78-79.
Despite picking up his own fifth foul Johnson remained aggressive, stringing up five straight points before Anthony's charity split preceded the scramble that also saw GlobalPort's Ryan Arana, Bradwyn Guinto and White and Rain or Shine's Jay Washington slapped with a technical each for entering the court.(NC)
The scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 96 - Johnson 18, Yap 14, Ahanmisi 13, Almazan 12, Tiu 10, Ponferada 9, Daquioag 7, Belga 6, Norwood 5, Torres 2, Nambatac 0.
GLOBALPORT 90 - White 21, Pringle 15, Anthony 14, Nabong 13, Tautuaa 8, Elorde 8, Grey 4, Javelona 3, Sargent 2, Guinto 2, Ara?a 0, Teng 0.
Quarterscores: 26-30, 45-45, 67-62, 96-90.
