The Elastopainters, improving to a franchise-best 8-1 which they will carry over to the semifinals, remained atop the heap and handed the Texters’ their first loss since the 0-2 start.
Import Jamine Cornley relied on impeccable timing as he came up with a game-saving block on Ranidel de Ocampo as the buzzer expired—and also contributed 19 points and four rebounds.
Cornley also knocked down a floater over the outstretched arms of his defenders, which gave Rain or Shine a four-point cushion—enough to weather whatever Talk ’N Text threw at them.
“We showed some mental and physical toughness. We just want to prove that this team is for real,” said the Elastopainters’ mercurial head coach Yeng Guiao.
The Texters, unable to pull away when they had the lead, came back from an eight-point deficit early in the payoff period and even snatched the edge with 2:24 left on a triple by Jason Castro.
But Talk ’N Text just engaged on a shootout down the stretch—with big shots courtesy of an in-the-zone Castro—but failed to make the necessary defensive stops.
A good-drawn play—dumping the ball to De Ocampo down low for the final shot with two seconds left—could have sent the game into overtime, but Cornley’s block was just better.
Castro finished with 25 points, while import Paul Harris added 11 points.
Talk ’N Text will carry its 5-4 record to the semis, which will be another single round robin among six squads.
THE SCORES:
RAIN OR SHINE 92 – Cornely 19, Lee 18, Chan 14, Cruz 11, Norwood 9, Belga 7, Quinahan 6, Tang 2, Arana 2, Buenafe 2, Ibanes 2.
TALK N’ TEXT 90 – Castro 25, Harris 11, Reyes 11, Williams 10, Fonacier 10, Alapag 8, Aban 5, De Ocampo 4, Peek 4, Aguilar 2.
Quarters: 27-28, 46-51, 67-68, 92-90
