'LUCKY' RAIN OR SHINE STEALS GAME FROM SAN MIG COFFEE

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Published on October 24, 2012

Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao himself had considered it a lost game that he couldn’t explain how
they were able to pull it off in the end.

Jeff Chan came through with two four-point plays and Beau Belga had a big trey in an incredible
closing run Rain or Shine unraveled to hack out an amazing 80-79 come-from-behind win over San Mig
Coffee in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

“It would rank one of my weirdest wins of all time. We played ugly basketball but still won the
game. It’s beyond analysis and assessment,” said Guiao after the game.

“There’s no logical explanation how we won. Maybe, it’s coach Roehl (Nadurata). Maybe, his
spirit was on the court,” Guiao added.

One thing Guiao was sure was that his team didn’t lose fighting spirit.

The Elasto Painters fought from the depths of 18-point deficits in the third quarter and stayed at
second place behind the Talk n Text Tropang Texters (5-0) with a 4-1 win-loss card.

With RoS still down by eight in the last four minutes, Jireh Ibanes, Chan and Belga delivered clutch
baskets as the E-Painters carved out the victory that stunned everybody at the Big Dome.

San Mig Coffee main man James Yap somehow hastened their downfall as he was tossed out of the game
on a second technical infraction with 2:34 left to play.  

Chan came up with his second four-point play in the ensuing play and, moments later, Belga struck
with a trey as the Elasto Painters raced ahead, 80-77, with 1:50 left.

PJ Simon scored on a tough jumper as San Mig Coffee came to within one, 79-80, a few seconds later.

Missed free throws by JR Quinahan gave the Mixers a chance to salvage the game but lost in the end
with Mark Barroca and Jonas Villanueva unable to complete a make-or-break attack in the closing
seconds.

Chan, the current league scoring leader, finished with 22 points on 4-of-6 three-point shooting,
3-of-9 twinners and 4-of-4 charities.

Though thrown out of the game with over two minutes left to play, Yap led all scorers with 28
points.

“Nag-black out ako,” said Yap later, ruing the flagrant foul he committed on Ibanes.

He earlier drew a technical foul for second motion. (SB)  

The scores:

RAIN OR SHINE 80 - Chan 22, Cruz 10, Norwood 9, Quinahan 9, Belga 7, Rodriguez 7, Tang 5, Arana 5,
Jaime 4, Ibanes 2, Matias 0. 

SANMIG COFFEE 79 - Yap 28, Simon 17, Ramos 9, Reavis 8, Gonzales 7, De Ocampo 4, Gaco 2, Barroca 2,
Villanueva 2.

Quarters: 17-26, 31-40, 50-66, 80-79

SOURCE: http://www.pba.ph/news/entry/1865