Giants snatch 2nd win from brink

MANILA, Philippines - Purefoods fought back from the brink of defeat in regulation play and pummeled Rain or Shine in overtime for a 102-94 win in the Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference at the Batangas City Sports Center last night.

Peter Jun Simon, Don Allado, Kerby Raymundo and James Yap delivered the important shots as the Giants bucked the early ouster of import Brian Hamilton on a flagrant infraction, notching a second straight victory following a winning debut against the Talk n Text Phone Pals last Sunday.

Rain or Shine blew an opportunity for a 2-0 start in the tourney as Rob Wainwright missed potential game-winning free throws in the closing seconds of regulation play. The team sagged and collapsed in the extra period.

“As Brian took the early exit, we just buckled down to work and we showed we have the bigger heart,” said Allado who led all scorers with 22 points.

Simon made 17 points including a five-point personal binge giving the Giants a 99-93 cushion entering the final minute of the contest, the second in the “PBA Phoenix Fuel on Tour.”

Earlier, it appeared the Giants were headed for a loss as they sent Wainwright to the free throw line with 2.6 seconds left to play and the count tied at 87-all.

Wainwright, however, wilted under pressure and missed both charities to even give Purefoods the chance to steal the game right in regulation.

The game eventually went into overtime as Yap missed a three-point attempt.

But the Giants immediately seized control in the overtime with Roger Yap and Allado knocking in three straight charities.

The Elasto Painters failed to recover, their bid stymied by a woeful 4-of-8 shooting from the stripe in the extension play.

Hamilton took the exit ahead of the others as he incurred a flagrant foul for sticking a foot on a jump-shooting Wainwright with a minute gone in the final half.

The Giants, however, hung tough, even enjoying 12-point spreads twice, 74-62 and 77-65, early in the third.

The Elasto Painters relied on the hot hands of Don Dulay and Gabe Norwood as they made a decisive move in the fourth quarter, surging ahead at 83-81.

Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia, however, practically held their punches in taking out Dulay for Sol Mercado entering the homestretch.

Dulay took the bench even as he was mainly responsible in their comeback, rifling in four booming triples.

Mercado failed to deliver, missing a harried three-pointer in the closing seconds of regulation and going 2-of-4 from the stripe in overtime.

Meanwhile, San Miguel unveils new import Gabe Freeman as the Beermen tangle with the Burger King Titans at 3:50 p.m. today at the Araneta Coliseum.

Freeman, teammate of J.J. Sullinger and Ron Nealy in the Albany Patroons team that placed second in the last CBA tourney, takes over from Nate Carter whose papers were not released by his team in the French league.