Rain or Shine, Ginebra forge best-of-three quarterfinal duel

Rain or Shine, Ginebra forge best-of-three quarterfinal duel
December 11, 2011 9:36pm

Rain or Shine and Barangay Ginebra won their respective final games in the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations Sunday to forge a best-of-three quarterfinal duel starting next week.

The Elasto Painters downed Alaska, 91-85, in the first of the scheduled doubleheader at the Araneta Coliseum before the Kings blasted defending champion Talk 'N Text, 96-82, in the main game.

Following their victories, Ginebra and Rain or Shine forged a three-way tie for third place along with Petron, all carrying 9-5 (win-loss) slates.

But the Boosters got the no. 3 spot owing to a better quotient and arranged a playoff encounter with no. 6 Meralco Bolts in the other best-of-three quarterfinals series.

The Elasto Painters believe the Kings are a better match-up to them.

“I think with Ginebra we can match up better,” said assistant coach Caloy Garcia, who called the shots for the team as head coach Yeng Guiao had a pressing matter to attend in Pampanga where he is vice governor.

“They’re (Kings) strong in the wings, we’re strong in the wings. They have big men who are not really dominant except if Erik Menk plays,” Garcia added. “But of course, it’s different playing Petron, which is coming off a championship.”

History, however, is not on Rain or Shine’s side.

Since entering the league in 2006, the franchise has not beaten the Kings in any playoff series, losing to the league’s crowd darlings in the semifinals of the 2009 Fiesta Conference in six games, and then in the quarterfinals of the 2011 Fiesta Conference, 2-1.

Garcia vowed to give the Kings a better fight this time.

“I think we’re a better team than before,” he said. “The nice thing about this is that our players want to play in that environment. Lahat tataas ang level basically. It’s fun playing Ginebra.”

Rain or Shine edged out Ginebra, 73-72, in their only meeting during the opener of the conference. — KBK, GMA News

The scores
Rain or Shine (91) — Belga 14, Buenafe 14, Rodriguez 12, Cruz 10, Matias 10, Chan 8, Uyloan 6, Arana 6, Norwood 4, Quianahan 4, Tang 3,Jaime 0.

Alaska (85) — Baguio 21, Tenorio 12, Thoss 12, Reyes 11, Eman 9, Custodio 8, Sotto 8, Salamat 2, Baracael 2, Pasculado 0.

Quarterscores: 19-20, 42-42, 70-66, 91-85.

Ginebra (96) — Caguioa 18, Cortez 17, Intal 15, Villanueva 15, Wilson W. 14, Mamaril 8, Labagala 4, Canaleta 3, Tubid 2, Maliksi 0, Cervantes 0, Wilson J. 0.

Talk `N Text (82) — Castro 14, Dillinger 12, Williams 12, Carey 12, Fonacier 10, Aguilar 7, Reyes 5, Raymundo 4, Gamalinda 4, Alvarez 2, Weinstein 0, De Ocampo 0.

Quarterscores: 23-20, 41-45, 64-65, 96-82

Source: GMANews.com