Rain or Shine guns for crucial 2-0 lead

Rain or Shine hopes to build a commanding 2-0 lead and inch closer to the title while Magnolia Ice Cream seeks to tie it and stay in the title hunt as the two collide today in Game 2 of their best-of-three PBL Heroes Cup title showdown at the San Andres Gym.

Relying on Jun Jun Cabatu’s endgame heroics, the Elasto Painters edged the Wizards, 70-68, in overtime to gain a crucial 1-0 advantage in a series that is expected to go the full five-game route.

"We’re glad we took Game 1," said the soft spoken Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia, who’s seeking to avenge a finals loss to the same team two years ago in his first conference with the Well-best owned franchise.

"But Magnolia is a tough team, we expect them to bounce back strong," added the current St. Benilde coach in the NCAA.

Magnolia is expected to pay extra attention to Cabatu, a 21-year-old, 6’5" former La Salle standout who drained the shots that mattered including a jumper at the keyhole over Mark Isip with no time to go to seal Game 1.

"He’s good, even Mark (Isip) was all over him, Mark played good defense," Magnolia mentor Koy Banal said, referring to the son of ex-pro Sonny Cabatu who is gifted not only by height and heft but also a sweet outside touch and the dribbling skills of a pointguard.

"We’ll try to figure out how to contain him," he added.

Meanwhile, the conference’s top performers will be feted at 2:30 p.m. in the Achievement Award preceding the 4 p.m. Rain or Shine-Magnolia duel.

Commissioner Chino Trinidad will be assisted by former Most Valuable Player Peter June Simon, who is now with the Purefoods Chunkie Giants, in presenting the MVP plum that is expected to be hotly-contested by Jojo Tangkay of Rain or Shine and Jason Castro of Hapee Toothpaste-Philippine Christian University.

Interestingly, Tangkay was the player edged out by Simon in the race two seasons back.

The Cebu-born hotshot could finally nail it this time though.Garcia is faced with the prospect of inching closer to the Raymund Yu and Terry Que-owned franchise’s back-to-back crown and seventh title overall in 12 championship stints with another win today.

But for it to be possible, Garcia must get some help from the veterans, most of whom are playing hurt. Gilbert Malabanan, who had brief stints with Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel Beer in the PBA, sat out the opener due to sprained ankle while Tangkay is still recovering from an injury.

But despite this, the Elasto Painters drew the needed firepower from the bench led by Cabatu.