Asistio waxes hot as Rain or Shine beats TNT to officially enter QF

Anton Asistio waxed hot to help Rain or Shine beat TNT, 106-96, Friday in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Philsports Arena to hand the Elasto Painters the best possible slot it can get in the quarterfinals.

Asistio made six out of seven triples en route to a 21-point outing as the Elasto Painters finished sixth in the team standings with a 7-5 record. TNT, meanwhile, secured the no. 2 spot as it finished with an 8-4 card.

Rain or Shine started to pull away in the second period as it outscored TNT, 34-17, in the said frame to end the first half with a 57-44 advantage. However, the Tropang Giga tried to give the Elasto Painters a fight as it closed the third period trailing by one, 75-74. 

The Elasto Painters then opened the fourth period with a 6-2 run to widen the margin, 81-76, before back-to-back triples from Asistio after a Rondae Hollis-Jefferson split gave Rain or Shine an 87-77 lead. The Elasto Painters took control of the game then and led 98-81 with 5:36 left after a Deon Thompson-anchored rally before claiming their seventh victory.

Head coach Yeng Guiao has always looked for that win no. 7 but the Elasto Painters lost back-to-back against Barangay Ginebra and NLEX. Now, Rain or Shine has achieved that feat.

"It's our biggest game, it's our biggest win this conference," Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao said.

"Appropriately pampitong panalo, hinahabol talaga namin and it took us until our last game to get our seventh win. It also avoided us from a playoff. Ayaw na namin mag-playoff so sabi ko ibuhos n'yo na rito lahat ng makakayanan natin so at least even tayo sa makakatapat natin."

Asistio also had three rebounds, two assists, and a steal, while import Deon Thompson had 22 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and a block. Santi Santillan also chipped in 20, while Caelan Tiongson also registered a double-double performance of 13 points, 10 boards, five assists, and a steal.

RHJ had 23 points, 10 rebounds, eight assists, three blocks, and two steals, while Calvin Oftana led the TNT locals with 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and a steal. RR Pogoy and Poy Erram had 13 points each.

Rain or Shine will face the no. 3 team Converge in a best-of-three quarterfinals series.

Scores:

Rain or Shine 106 – Thompson 22, Asistio 21, Santillan 20, Tiongson 13, Caracut 9, Nocum 8, Belga 5, Datu 3, Clarito 3, Malonzo 2, Norwood 0.

TNT 96 – Hollis-Jefferson 23, Oftana 20, Pogoy 13, Erram 13, Nambatac 11, Williams 6, Razon 4, Castro 3, Khobuntin 3, Galinato 0, Exciminiano 0, Aurin 0.

Quarters: 23-27, 57-44, 75-74, 106-96.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News