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Rain or Shine sends Ginebra to the bottom with overtime win

And the quarterfinal picture is now clear.

Saving its best for last, Rain or Shine outlasted Barangay Ginebra in overtime Sunday night 105-101 to put itself in a better position in the upcoming PBA Commissioners Cup quarterfinal round at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

After being down by as many as 13 points while struggling to put the cuffs on Gin Kings’ ‘balik’-import Gabe Freeman in the early goings, the Painters turned to import Wayne Chism and crafty guard Paul Lee in crucial stretches, notably in the extra five-minute period, to carve out the much-needed win that settled the final placings in the eight-team playoff cast.

The 6-foot-8 Chism led all scorers with 30 points on top of 15 rebounds and five blocks while the 6-foot-1 Lee banged in 25 markers, most of them coming in the second half, as Rain or Shine gained a fitting follow-up to its 87-82 win over eliminated Air21 last week and improved to 5-4 overall, forcing a tie with Meralco from fifth to sixth spots.

The Painters and the Bolts will then figure in a best-of-three quarterfinal showdown that starts on Monday also at the Big Dome.

Meanwhile, the loss was clearly a bitter pill to swallow for the Gin Kings, who got off to a rampaging start behind the exploits of the 6-foot-5 Freeman, a two-time Best Import awardee, who pumped up 17 of his team-high 29 points in the opening canto.

However, he cooled off in the second half where locals Greg Slaughter and Mark Caguioa carried most of the fight.

Freeman’s meltdown in the second half proved to be the big difference as Ginebra dropped to the eighth spot with 3-5 card, paving the way for a titanic showdown with top-ranked Talk ‘N Text which enjoys a twice-to-beat advantage.

The Gin Kings’ defeat also caused sister team, the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers, to slide down to sixth spot and forge a best-of-three battle with No. 3 Alaska Aces, the defending champions.

Ginebra could have made things look easier had it protected what once stood a 45-32 lead and a 94-92 cushion with 1:35 left in the final period.

However, RoS center Beau Belga tied the game with two freebies off a Jayjay Helterbrand foul with 45.3 seconds left, eventually causing the match to go into overtime.

In the extended period, the likes of Chism and Lee stood tallest, helping the Painters outscored the reeling Gin Kings while getting enough lift from Gabe Norwood and Jervy Cruz, who iced the game with two free throws for a 104-99 cushion with 10.3 seconds remaining.
 
The Main Man: Wayne Chism had another monstrous game as he dominated with 30 points, 15 rebounds and a game-high five blocks.
 
Honorable Mention: Backstopping Chism the most offensively was Paul Lee, who shoot off a slow start and led all local scorers with 25 points and six assists. Defensively, Gabe Norwood shone the brightest as he managed to put the clamps down on the fast-starting Gabe Freeman who only had six points in the second half.

Game Turning Point: After forcing a big defensive stop, Ginebra guard Mark Caguioa lost his balance at the baseline and was forced to bounced the ball off RoS wingman Gabe Norwood.
However, the former George Mason U standout eventually stole the leather, leading to an uncontested slam for a 102-97 RoS lead with 2:45 to play.
 
 
He Said It:
Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao: “We got the stops we needed in the end game. Gabe freemen was a match-up problem as we expected. Chism showed what he can do. I’m glad the locals step up–Ryan (Arana), Jervy (Cruz), Paul (Lee). Also the big shot by Gabe (Norwood). This is what we wanted–balance offensive threat. This is where we wanted to be. We only wanted to be in quarters on an even match-up without any disadvantage and we got it. This win gives us lot of confidence because lots of people are doubting our import. Only me and the team believes in him.”
 
The scores:

Rain or Shine 105 – Chism 30, Lee 25, Belga 10, Cruz 10, Arana 8, Norwood 7, Chan 6, Nuyles 3, Teng 3, Ibanes 3, Almazan 0, Tiu 0, Tang 0, Rodriuguez 0.

Ginebra 101 – Freeman 29, Slaughter 22, Caguioa 17, Helterbrand 16, Ababou 8, Tenorio 6, Mamaril 3, Baracael 0, ellis 0, Aguilar 0, Urbiztondo 0.