PBA: Clutch Painters get come-from-behind win over B-MEG

Gabe Norwood nailed a crucial three to break a 92-all deadlock in the last two minutes of the extra period to propel the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters over last conference's champs, the B-MEG Llamados in their PBA Governor's Cup debut, 100-94, Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
 
Guard Ryan Araña scored five straight to tie the game at 88 in the fourth period to send the game in to overtime. Just a minute prior, B-MEG enjoyed a five point lead before Rain or Shine tightened their defense to prevent a Llamados basket.
 
It was a seesaw battle the whole game, as Rain or Shine jumped on to an early 26-18 lead in the first quarter.
 
A Norwood long bomb put Rain or Shine ahead 12 points, 31-19, but it was a Jervy Cruz layup that gave the Elastopainters a commanding 16-point advantage, 40-24.
 
Marqus Blakely and JC Intal teamed up to bring B-MEG closer, as the Elastopainters lead dwindled to two at the half, 42-40. 
 
Blakely picked up from where he left off in the second, scoring at will to put B-MEG ahead, 50-45.
 
A PJ Simon triple with less than two minutes left in the third gave B-MEG a nine-point lead, 63-54, as Paul Lee tried to keep Rain or Shine afloat with his own long bomb to cut the the B-MEG lead to six, 64-48, to end the third quarter.
 
In the final period, the two teams continued to trade shots. Yancy De Ocampo gave BMEG some breathing room at 80-76, but a Beau Belga triple brought the Elastopainters within striking distance with under four minutes left, 80-81.
 
PJ Simon scored four straight, before Lee completed an and one play in the final two minutes. An Araña three cut B-MEG's lead to two.
 
The former Green Archer was not done, as he tipped in his own miss to tie the game with less than two minutes left in the game. James Yap was given 4.5 seconds to win unleash his heroics for the Llamados, but last conference's Finals MVP missed the game-winning triple as the game went to overtime.
 
Yancy De Ocampo started the scoring in the extra period, 90-88. But Belga and Blakely partnered up to tie the game at 90. With 1:41 remaining, Gabe Norwood sank a three to finally put Rain or Shine in the driver's seat.
 
A Jeff Chan turnover with 18 seconds remaining gave B-MEG a chance to cut a four-point lead, 98-94, but a De Ocampo miss forced B-MEG to send Lee to the line to seal the win for the Elastopainters, 100-94. 
 
"It's just a big advantage for us to play them on their first game. They missed some guys. We're trying to learn to win those games it's a good test for us. This is a test for us to close out games and play a championship team in B-MEG. The key to contending is try to win as many games as you can very early in the conference," said Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao.
 
Rain or Shine will face Air 21 Express next, while B-MEG prepares for a big battle against Barangay Ginebra on Sunday. — ELR/AMD, GMA News
 

The scores:

RAIN OR SHINE 100 - Cornely 25, Lee 17, Cruz 15, Belga 11, Norwood 10, Chan 8, Arana 7, Quinahan 7, Matias 0, Tang 0, Buenafe 0, Ibanes 0.
 
B-MEG 94 - Blakely 28, De Ocampo 17, Yap 14, Simon 13, Reavis 7, Villanueva 6, Urbiztondo 4, Intal 4, Gaco 1, Barroca 0, Burtscher 0, Bono 0.

Quarter scores: 26-19, 42-40, 58-64, 88-88, 100-84