JAY R. GOTERA
Saudi Gazette
MANILA — The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters engaged the Star Hotshots in a fierce shootout for three quarters before pulling away in the final frame for a 95-86 victory in their first game in the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Jeff Chan led ROS with 17 points, including 5 of 9 from three-point range, on top of six boards. Five other Painters scored in double digits with import Wayne Chism and guard Jericho Cruz posting 13 markers apiece, Beau Belga with 12 and Maverick Ahanmisi and JR Quinahan each with 10 points.
The Painters won despite missing the services of top gunner Paul Lee who is still recovering from a knee injury.
Star import Denzel Bowles exploded for 39 points and 18 rebounds but had little support as the Hotshots fell to their second straight loss.
Meralco 88,
Talk N Text 84
The Meralco Bolts notched their second straight win, beating sister team Talk N Text Tropang Texters, 88-84, to gain solo leadership in the standings of the Commissioner’s Cup.
It was a far cry from Meralco’s last performance in the previous Philippine Cup where it finished dead last with just a single win against 10 losses.
The Texters suffered a double whammy of a defeat as they also lost their temperamental import Ivan Johnson who was ejected from the game and slapped with a permanent ban from the league after he uttered profanities at PBA Commissioner Chito Narvasa.
Johnson was ejected with 4:21 remaining in the second quarter after being whistled for a second straight unsportsmanlike foul for smacking Meralco defender Bryan Faundo in the face with an elbow. He already had a technical foul earlier in the game.
On his way out of the arena, he then confronted Narvasa who was seated at the officials’ table. The league did not even wait until the game was over before issuing a statement announcing the ban on the American import who was also slapped with a hefty fine of 250,000 pesos.
Johnson had already missed TNT’s opener after serving out a one-game suspension for fighting with Blackwater players in a tune-up game. He also had a previous fine of 150,000 pesos last season after bumping Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao in the finals last year.
Cliff Hodge led Meralco with 15 points and eight rebounds while Jared Dillinger had a double-double of 14 points and 11 boards.
Import Arinze Onuaku finished with 14 points, seven rebounds and four steals.
Bryan Faundo added 11 points while point guards Jimmy Alapag and Baser Amer chimed in 10 points apiece.
Jayson Castro led the Texters with 25 points, 22 of them scored in the second half. Larry Fonacier was the only other Texter in double-digit scoring with 15 points. Johnson scored 9 points in his final game in the league.
Games Sunday: Blackwater Elite (0-1) vs. Mahindra Enforcers (1-0) and GlobalPort Batang Pier (0-1) vs. Barangay Ginebra Kings (0-1).
