Jay R. Gotera
Saudi Gazette
MANILA — Paul Lee was at his lethal best once again, leading the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to a 107-79 zapping of the Meralco Bolts in a fight-marred PBA Philippine Cup road game in Davao City Saturday.
Lee scored his first double-double in the league, finishing with a team-high 20 points and a career-high 10 assists. The stocky six-foot dribbler from Tondo, Manila also had five rebounds while making 4-of-8 from three-point land. His back-to-back three-pointers followed by a three-point play ignited a 14-5 run as Rain or Shine pulled away, 85-54, in the third quarter.
Jeff Chan added 16 points for Rain or Shine while rookie Jericho Cruz scored a career-high 15 markers off the bench. Rookie center Raymond Almazan also had a double-double of 10 points and 14 boards.
The Painters won their third straight game and improved to a 5-2 win-loss card, moving up to solo fourth in the standings behind Alaska (6-0), Barangay Ginebra (5-1) and San Miguel Beer (4-1).
The Bolts suffered their third straight defeat and fell to a 3-3 mark, tying GlobalPort at sixth to seventh place in the standings.
Mark Macapagal led Meralco with 16 points while Jared Dillinger had 12. The two teams fought a highly physical game with Almazan and Meralco’s John Ferriols assessed with technical and flagrant fouls, respectively. Ferriols knocked down the slightly built Almazan with an elbow, forcing the latter to go after his assailant before cooler heads intervened.
Meralco’s Gary David also left the game late in the third quarter after his nose was bloodied while Rain or Shine’s Beau Belga lost one tooth during a rebound battle in the first half.
The Painters lost their coach Yeng Guiao early in the second quarter on successive technicals.
The scores:
Rain or Shine 107 – Lee, 20 Chan 16, Jericho Cruz 15, Almazan 14, Belga 11, Tang 10, Teng 8, Uyloan 3, Ibanes 3, Quinahan 3, Norwood 2, Jervy Cruz 2.
Meralco 79 – Macapagal 16, Dillinger 12, Caram 11, Hodge 9, Hugnatan 7, Anthony 6, Ildefonso 6, Guevarra 4, David 4, Atkins 2, Ferriols 2, Cortez 0, Buenafe 0.
Quarter: 27-19, 51-38, 87-56, 107-79.
Games Sunday: Barako Bull Energy vs. Kia Sorento and San Miguel Beermen vs. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings.