E-Painters sink BPier, complete F-4 cast

MANILA, Philippines — Rain or Shine flaunted the very form that made it the elims’ best team, fighting with great determination and firing away 15 three-pointers to highlight a torrid shooting as it smothered GlobalPort, 103-97, to salvage the last berth in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Final Four at the MOA Arena in Pasay City last night.

Upended the last time, 113-114, the E-Painters simply refused to be beat twice in a row, and did defend their top seeding versus the Batang Pier to join titleholder San Miguel Beer, Governors Cup titlist Barangay Ginebra and Alaska Milk in the semifinals.

It’s Rain or Shine versus Barangay Ginebra and Alaska Milk against San Miguel Beer in two interesting best-of-five semis playoffs. The Beermen and the Aces begin their series at 6:40 p.m. tomorrow in the same venue while the E-Painters and the Gin Kings start their own showdown at 7 p.m. Sunday over at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“We wanted it more,” said Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia after they repelled the GlobalPort challenge to earn their first semis stint since their title run in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup.

James Yap best typified the resolve shown by the E-Painters with a 27-point explosion spiked by a career high-matching seven three-pointers.

“I had in my mind our painful experience with BMeg,” said Yap recalling their sorry loss as the playoff top seed to eighth-ranked Powerade in the 2012 Philippine Cup.

“I don’t want it repeated. I know the feeling, it’s really painful,” Yap added.

The two-time MVP winner came out smoking, tossing in 13 markers laced with 3-of-3 treys in the first half then adding four more triples in his most productive performance in the last four seasons.