Rain shining, B-Meg hurting

MANILA, Philippines - It was B-Meg, not Rain or Shine, which literally found its form in a sling.

The Elasto Painters drew inspiration from prized rookie Paul Lee, who watched with his left shoulder on a strap, and feasted on the tired and weary Llamados for a decisive 93-84 victory in Game Three of the PBA Governors Cup finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

The Painters were coming in from a bitter 80-85 setback in Game Two compounded by a costly personnel loss after Lee re-injured his shoulder, keeping him out for the rest of the season. But the team responded with some crisp shooting from the long range and then coasted decisively to a 2-1 lead as B-Meg coach Tim Cone benched his key men – James Yap and PJ Simon – to spare them further from the rigors of what had turned out to be a highly physical, rugged best-of-seven series.

Rain or Shine ripped the game apart in the third quarter on a searing assault highlighted by six triples by Jeff Chan and Ryan Araña and B-Meg coach Tim Cone virtually gave the game away in keeping top scorers Yap and Simon on the bench in the final period.

“We just played as hard as we can tonight. Without Paul, we thought the biggest compliment we can do is to play for Paul and commit the series to him,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.

“He helped us get here, and the best to compliment that is (win) it,” Guiao added.

Jamelle Cornley put in a dominating performance with 26 points and 15 rebounds and Chan, Jireh Ibanes, Ronjay Buenafe and Gabe Norwood stepped up as the E-Painters made it 3-0 playing without Lee this season.

“They’re playing with toughness that comes from inside. It doesn’t come from T-shirt,” said Guiao, taking a dig at the B-Meg shirts with a line “ONLY TOUGH GUYS NEED APPLY.”

“I felt in my heart that the boys knew this is their destiny,” Guiao also said.

The Elasto Painters went roaring coming off the halftime huddle, pulling away, 70-52, in the third quarter and later leading by as many as 21 at 75-54.

Cone then opted to just rest his key men for the next game.

“I don’t think we played a fresh game from the beginning. James (Yap) and PJ (Simon) were very tired. If we got down to eight or six, I would have brought them back,” said Cone.

“We got some rest for James and PJ for the next game. I think that’s a better strategy. I was thinking of a bigger picture. We’re here to win the series,” added Cone who sat out Yap in the last 14 minutes of the game and Simon in the last 18.

“My job is not to get the crowd happy. I love the fans but I can’t worry about them,” Cone added.

He actually kept import Marcus Blakely and Marc Pingris, too, on the bench for long minutes.

Blakely and Pingris did return in the last two minutes as the B-Meg reserves pulled the team to within nine, 77-86, with 2:46 left to play.

Jonas Villanueva topscored for the Llamados with 18 points, making 12 in the final period.

Yap and Simon scored only seven points together, all in the first half.

The two teams figured in a duel of spurts early on with the Elasto Painters taking the half, 40-38, on a 13-8 tear.

The scores:

Rain or Shine 93 – Cornely 26, Chan 18, Ibanes 12, Buenafe 11, Norwood 10, Tang 6, Arana 6, Belga 4, Cruz 0, Quinahan 0.

B-Meg 84 – Villanueva 18, Blakely 13, De Ocampo 13, Pingris 9, Yap 7, Barroca 6, Reavis 6, Gaco 4, Urbiztondo 4, Simon 4, Acuna 0.

Quarterscores: 19-23; 40-38; 70-58; 93-84