
Painters end skid vs Kings

LUCENA CITY -- Rain or Shine waited for five games before finally seeing light in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
But when they finally did, the E-Painters did it with a bang.
Rain or Shine shocked defending champion Barangay Ginebra, 104-97, to finally barge into the win column before a big crowd at the Quezon Convention Center here Saturday.
Terrence Watson had a lot to do with the E-Painters’ first win of the season-ending tournament.
Watson, the 31-year-old American who came in as a replacement for J’Nathan Bullock in the E-Painters’ third game, finished with game-highs of 29 points,18 rebounds and six blocks in 40 minutes of action.
The 6-5 guard out of Detroit, Michigan struck hardest during the E-Painters’ strongest showing that also saw them take as much as 19-point lead.
Watson’s counterpart, Justin Brownlee, did not play that bad, either.
Brownlee even flirted with a triple double of 23 points, 16 rebounds and nine assists.
But the game clearly belonged to Rain or Shine, which shot better from the floor with 43-of-83 (51 percent) against 39-of-93 (4 percent) of Ginebra.
Jewel Ponferada also produced a big game with 18 points, five rebounds and two assists for the E-Painters.
Actually, Rain or Shine led 97-82, when Brownlee and LA Tenorio triggered a 15-4 run that made it 97-101.
But a dagger three by Gabe Norwood with still 2:23 left put a half to the Gin Kings’ comeback, 104-97.
Meanwhile, PBA action returns at the Araneta Coliseum with two more important games.
Worth watching is the 4:30 p.m. curtainraiser between struggling teams NLEX and Meralco, who both badly need a win to save their season.
At 4-4, the Road Warriors have lost two straight games and need to get back into the winning track fast to keep their hopes for a quarterfinals seat.
“We’ve given up on a top four finish. We’ve been struggling just like Meralco and our goal now is to arrest the skid,” said NLEX coach Yeng Guiao.
Guiao said the Road Warriors need to play good defense even against a struggling team like the Bolts.
“Meralco is as dangerous as ever. They can put together a good game anytime,” explained Guiao.
Magnolia, 6-1, and Alaska Milk, 5-1, dispute top spot in the second game at 6:45 p.m.
The scores:
Rain or Shine (104) -- Watson 29, Ponferada 18, Ahanmisi 12, Norwood 11, Belga 8, Daquioag 7, Tiu 6, Yap 6, Washington 4, Borboran 3, Onwubere 0.
Ginebra (97) -- Brownlee 23, Tenorio 15, Mariano 14, Ferrer 13, Thompson 10, Aguilar 7, Caperal 6, Chan 5, Dela Cruz 2, Caguioa 2.
Quarterscores: 28-28, 51-44, 87-73, 104-97