Painters clobber Fuel Masters to seize Group B No. 2 spot

MANILA, Philippines -- Rain or Shine used a complete team effort to douse the Phoenix Fuel Masters, 133-103, and clinch the No. 2 spot of Group B in the PBA Governors' Cup Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

With the dominant win, the Elasto Painters will face the Converge FiberXers, the third seed of Group A, in the crossover best-of-five quarterfinals. 

Jhonard Clarito and Aaron Fuller led the eight Elasto Painters in double digits with 18 points each. The former had 11 rebounds, five assists and a block, while the latter hauled down eight boards. 

Trailing by three, 27-30, after the first quarter, Rain or Shine outscored Phoenix 83-54 in the middle quarters as they broke the game wide open. 

The Elasto Painters simply could not be stopped as they poured it on offense. 

Phoenix was able to slice the deficit to 18, 92-110, in the fourth after former Rain or Shine wing Gian Mamuyac connected on a layup, but it was the nearest the Fuel Masters got to.

The 30-point spread at the end of the game was the biggest of the contest. 

Adrian Nocum added 17 points off the bench for the Elasto Painters. Santi Santillan chipped in 13 points while Felix Lemetti had 11. Caelan Tiongson and Luis Villegas produced 10 markers apiece in the win. 

Marcellus Earlington paced the Fuel Masters with 20 points, four rebounds, two assists and a steal. Mamuyac and Francis Escandor added 16 points apiece. 

Already in the quarterfinals, Phoenix, which finished the elims with a 5-5 slate, could take on either NLEX or San Miguel in the playoffs, depending on the final elimination-round game between Barangay Ginebra and Blackwater later Friday.