GIVEN the chance to firm its hold on second place, Rain or Shine had one of its finest performances of the conference, dismantling Phoenix with ease, 97-82, for its second straight win in the 2017 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
It was a relatively easy night for the Elasto Painters as they came out with the full arsenal, taking over from start to finish en route to securing another win.
Jericho Cruz was steady for Rain or Shine, scoring a team-high 21 points, including five triples, to go with eight rebounds off the bench as he continued to be solid all-around.
“Naka-adjust kami and I was just trying to play my game. I’m surprised coach played me more minutes since I had a flu and it worked well,” said Cruz.
He got help from veteran gunners Jeff Chan and James Yap, who scored 12 and 10 points, respectively.
This dominant victory allowed Rain or Shine to tighten its hold on second place as it improved to 5-2 for the tournament. It also kept in-step with league-leading San Miguel (6-1) as they are only separated by a single game.
At the other end, Phoenix continued to be inconsistent as it now fell to 4-4, down at the middle of the pack after splitting its last two games.
Rain or Shine already grasped a double-digit advantage at the end of the first frame, taking a 30-20 lead.
It never looked back and kept its safe distance the rest of the way, even leading by 20 points, 69-49, halfway the third, and avoiding any complications as the Fuel Masters failed to impose a serious threat.
Still, impressive rookie Matthew Wright once again bloomed, scoring a game-high 26 points, 12 rebounds and five assists in his first double-double of his PBA career.
The scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 97 – Cruz 21, Chan 12, Yap 10, Tolomia 9, Trollano 9, Washington 9, Matias 8, Ahanmisi 8, Tiu 6, Ponferada 3, Belga 2, Maiquez 0.
PHOENIX 82 – Wright 26, Intal 10, J. Wilson 10, Alolino 8, Baguio 8, Borboran 7, Torres 5, Enciso 3, Hayes 3, Caperal 2, W.Wilson 0, Lanete 0.
Quarters: 30-20, 53-45, 78-61, 97-82