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DEFENDING champion Sta. Lucia Realtors are now a win away from entering the Final Four as they manhandled Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 101-84 in game one of their best-of-three quarterfinals series of the ongoing KFC-PBA Philippine Cup Wednesday night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Nelbert Omolon scored a conference high 30 points on 11-of-17 shooting while Joseph Yeo added 26 markers.
It was Sta. Lucia from start for finish as they never gave Rain or Shine a chance to inch closer, leading by as much as 26 in the game.
The Elasto Painters kept the game close only the first quarter before the defending champions ripped the game wide open with excellent shooting and outstanding defense.
Rain or Shine's poor showing could have likely been caused again by poor shooting. Almost two weeks after being held by Barangay Ginebra to all-time franchise lows in scoring (58 points) and field goal shooting (27.3%) in a 63-58 loss in their final game in the eliminations, the Elasto Painters again struggled offensively all night. Against the Realtors, they made just 27-of-81 shots (33 percent) and managed just 10 assists.
Aside from Omolon and Yeo, team captain Dennis Espino was the only other Realtor in double digits with 10 points although the rest of the players Fernandez fielded for the night scored two or more.
Jay-R Reyes led Rain or Shine with 16 points on a 6-of-13 shooting and rookie Sol Mercado added 13, despite making just 2-of-13 shots.
Mercado and fellow rookie Norwood, who carried the load for the team in the elims, was visibly not in their elements.
Norwood, who managed just nine points, made noise late in the third period but for the wrong reasons.
The top rookie pick threw the ball at Omolon after the Sta. Lucia forward nearly swiped his head after trying to steal the ball. Norwood was called for a flagrant foul-penalty 2 which would mean an automatic one-game suspension depending on the results of an evaluation to be conducted by the PBA Technical staff.
Yeo, Mercado and Ryan Arana, who rushed in when the incident took place, were slapped with technical fouls in the bench-emptying incident which happened at 5:55 mark of the third period and with the Realtors ahead by a mile 65-47.
Yeo and Omolon made five technical free throws at the resumption of play before Yeo knocked in a 3-pointer to give Sta. Lucia a huge 73-47 advantage with 5:39 remaining the third.
Marlou Aquino was thrown out of the game after planting a foot on a shooting Jay-R Reyes in the first half. Top rookie pick Gabe Norwood was also ejected late in the third quarter as he intentionally threw the ball on Omolon. A seemingly frustrated Norwood reacted after he got hit in the forehead by Omolon’s hand.
The winner of the Sta.Lucia-Rain or Shine face-off will meet early semifinalist Alaska Aces.
In the second game San Miguel Beer narrowly escaped with a win over Barangay Ginebra, 78-77 to take a 1-0 lead in their own best-of-three quarterfinal series.
Jayjay Helterbrand missed a potential game-winning three-point shot from the left wing, making it imperative for the Gin Kings to win Game 2 on Friday at the Cuneta Astrodome and force a winner-take-all game on Sunday.
The Scores:
Sta. Lucia 101 - Omolon 30, Yeo 26, Espino 10, Gonzales 8, Aquino 6, Reyes 4, Williams 4, Miranda 4, Mendoza 3, Gregorio 2, Coronel 2, Daa 2.
Rain or Shine 84 - Reyes 16, Mercado 13, Salangsang 10, Norwood 9, Tang 9, Arana 9, Isip 7, Wainwright 7, Dulay 2, Andaya , Ibanes 0, Ejercito 0.
Quarterscores: 23-17, 50-37, 85-62, 101-84.
Second Game:
San Miguel 78 - Tugade 15, Hontiveros 14, Racela 11, Custodio 10, Seigle 10, Pingris 6, Pena 6, Washington 4, Pennisi 2, Calaguio 0.
Ginebra 77 - Mamaril 22, Tubid 14, Valenzuela 9, Helterbrand 8, Artadi 7, Salvacion 6, Menk 4, Pacana 3, Wilson 2, Crisano 2, Escalona 0, Cabatu 0.
Quarterscores: 21-16, 42-32, 61-54, 78-77. |
