Elasto Painters shine in the endgame to send Alaska to loss #7

Elasto Painters shine in the endgame to send Alaska to loss #7

Rain or Shine 80 vs. Alaska 79

by rick olivares

November 28, 2010

Araneta Coliseum

Another game. Another loss. The fourth quarter meltdowns have been the culprit and they have become habitual that it’s difficult to put a finger on any one thing. How much more painful can it be as the Alaska Aces find new ways to lose?

The Aces held a 79-70 lead against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters with 5:51 left after Mark Borboran (19 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and 2 blocks) hit for a deuce inside. The Aces would not score again.

The Elasto Painters were without Sol Mercado who suited up but wasn’t good with a bum foot, but they found scoring sock from rookie RJ Jazul who put up 16 points including four treys, Gabe Norwood, and Ryan Araña.

But it was the perplexing Jeff Chan who came up big. He missed all five of his attempts from the field and turned the ball over on a two-on-one fastbreak with his team behind 78-79 and 25 seconds left in the match. The former FEU Tamaraw made up for his error by forcing Alaska’s LA Tenorio into an eight-second backcourt violation that gave them back the ball.

Tenorio was in the midst of a dreadful game as he posted a similar stat line like Chan missing all five attempts. In 34 minutes, only had as many rebounds as he had turnovers – four. He also only chalked up two assists. To compound his woes, with time running down on a near broken play by Rain or Shine, the Aces’ point guard bumped Araña who drove in but apparently did not have control of the ball.

Araña canned his two free throws to make it 80-79 as Alaska missed three close range attempts in the final six seconds to slump to their seventh loss in their last nine outings.

Earlier, the Aces had another chance to add to their one-point lead with 1:07 left but Joe Devance stepped on the sideline for a turnover. Gabe Norwood (17 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists, and 3 steals) hit a jumper to bring the Elasto Painters closer at 78-79. Then the Aces fell apart.

Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia credits the defense on Tenorio as a key to winning their fifth match in 10 outings. Aside from Chan, Jireh Ibañes, another taller defender was assigned to the shifty point guard. “That was Sol’s idea,” revealed Garcia.

Alaska’s continued downward spiral has seen two other teams that started the season poorly overtake them – B-Meg Derby Ace and Meralco. “We’re still searching for answers,” glumly said Alaska assistant Luigi Trillo after the game.

Rain or Shine 80 – Norwood 17, Jazul 16, Araña 13, Tang 9, Rodriguez 5, Reyes 5, Kramer 4, Ibañes 4, Vanlandingham 3, Cruz 2, Ferriols 2, Chan 0

Alaska 79 – Borboran 19, Devance 17, Thoss 16, Baguio 10, dela Cruz 8, Custodio 6, Eman 3, Tenorio 0