Chan regains touch, gains week’s top honors

MANILA, Philippines - With top gun Jeff Chan finally finding his mark after a long slump, Rain or Shine is eyeing no less than a Top Four finish in the tightly fought PBA Governors Cup.

“We shot the ball very well (in the team’s last two games) and Jeff has shot the ball well also with AZ (Reid) and Paul Lee,” said RoS coach Yeng Guiao, commending the 6-2 former Far Eastern University standout.

Chan is averaging a scorching 64.7 percent shooting from the field in the team’s last two games, including 62.5 percent from beyond the arc to tow Rain or Shine to huge victories over Alaska and Barangay Ginebra the past week.

His solid performances also earned him his first Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period of June 2-8. 

Chan bested Talk n Text gunners Jason Castro and Ranidel de Ocampo for the weekly citation.

The left-handed Chan banged in 15 points on June 4 to lead the Elasto Painters’ torrid second quarter charge on the way to routing the Aces, 123-72.

The game turned out to be the all-time franchise-high winning margin for Rain or Shine, while reviving the team’s top four hopes heading into the playoffs.

Guiao admitted that Chan and the rest of the team’s confidence soared to new heights during that 51-point rout, allowing Rain or Shine to carry that momentum in the team’s 117-108 victory over fancied Barangay Ginebra on Sunday in Binan, Laguna.

Again, Chan caught fire against the Gin Kings, banging in 18 points, spiked by three triples, as he joined hands with guard Paul Lee in handing the Gin Kings their second defeat in six starts.

Rain or Shine will try to sweep its last two assignments to secure a place in the top four that could guarantee a twice-to-beat incentive going to the knockout playoffs.