Rookies' 1-2 punch lifts Tigers

MANILA, Philippines - Top rookies Jayvee Casio and Marcio Lassiter delivered big plays in the crunch and Powerade survived a six-point deficit in the last 1:44 of play, shocking Rain or Shine, 110-108, to move into the threshold of the PBA Philippine Cup finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

The two former Smart Gilas mainstays scored all of the game’s last seven points, carrying the Tigers to the pulsating victory and the pivotal 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven semifinal series.

Casio, the top draft pick, brought Powerade back into the game, 107-108, with a free throw and a three-point play then Lassiter pushed the Tigers ahead to stay, 109-108, with three charities.

The Elasto Painters had a chance to salvage the game but Jeff Chan missed a three-point shot then Beau Belga muffed a 10-footer inside the last five seconds.

“I know that there’s going to be a game in the series that Jayvee will deliver for us. There’s a time in this game that Rain or Shine’s defense was really choking us, but Jayvee found a way to create plays for us,” said Powerade coach Bo Perasol.

“The credit belongs to him tonight,” Perasol also said of the 5-foot-10 guard who finished with 25 points, three assists, one rebound and one steal.

Gary David missed what could have been a seventh straight 30-point game just by two while Lassiter added 19 points and 11 rebounds.

Casio, David and Lassiter, Powerade’s Big Three, scored all of the team’s last 16 points.

Doug Kramer chipped in double-double numbers with 10 points and the same number of rebounds, helping the Tigers close in on a first finals appearance since the 2003 Reinforced Conference.

“The series is not yet over. It will be too far if we don’t do our job,” said Perasol.

The Elasto Painters didn’t do theirs in the final minute and blew away what had looked like a won ball game.

TY Tang played quality minutes in the fourth quarter, making seven points, two assists and one rebound, leading a charge that opened a 106-100 margin for Rain or Shine entering the final minute.

Coach Yeng Guiao, however, opted to return Paul Lee in favor of Tang in the last two minutes, and the Elasto Painters failed to buy a basket again till the end.

Jimmy Alapag banged in a crucial three-pointer in the last 44 seconds then Talk n Text made the needed defensive stops as the Tropang Texters lived to fight another game with a 93-91 win over the Petron Blaze Boosters in the second game.

“All we want in this game is to get a game Sunday. On Sunday, we’ll fight to get another game Wednesday,” said coach Chot Reyes as his Texters narrowed the Boosters’ series lead to 2-3.