Game today
Lucena City
5 p.m.- Barangay Ginebra vs. GlobalPort
The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters bolstered their bid of earning an automatic semifinal berth after they held off Blackwater Elite, 102-98, yesterday in the 40th PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
The Elasto Painters tied the Purefoods Star Hotshots and the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters at the number-one spot in the team standings at 7-3 (win-loss).
The defending champions Hotshots were still playing the Meralco Bolts as of this writing.
Wayne Chism led the way for the Elasto Painters by firing 30 points and grabbing 13 rebounds.
Paul Lee added 14 points, while Beau Belga and Chris Tiu contributed 11 and 10 markers, respectively.
Rain or Shine went into the final half with a slim 46-41 lead. Chism started to work, scoring 10 of Rain or Shine’s 13 points to start the third quarter.
Chism teamed up with Belga and Gabe Norwood in a 14-2 assault as Rain or Shine zoomed to a 70-55 lead.
Behind Marcus Douthit, Blackwater cut the deficit to eight, 85-78, in the fourth but Rain or Shine responded with a telling run to make it, 100-86, with 3:28 left.
Douthit finished with 34 points and 19 rebounds for Blackwater, which formally bowed out of competition with its eighth defeat in 10 games.
BOX SCORES
RAIN OR SHINE (102)– Chism 30, Lee 14, Belga 11, Tiu 10, Norwood 8, Tang 6, Quinahan 5, Jco. Cruz 4, Almazan 4, Uyloan 3, Ibanes 2, Arana 2, Jvy. Cruz 2, Chan 1, Teng 0.
BLACKWATER (98)– Douthit 34, Acuna 20, Heruela 15, Gamalinda 11, Reyes 6, Faundo 4, Canada 2, Rodriguez 2, Celiz 2, Bulawan 2, Erram 0, Ballesteros 0, Laure 0.
QUARTER SCORES: 18-20; 46-41; 78-65; 102-98.