Belga drops 28 points to lift Painters past Batang Pier

MANILA, Philippines -- Another day, another stellar game from Beau Belga.

Belga scattered a career-high 28 points as he guided the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to their fifth straight win in the PBA Philippine Cup at the expense of the NorthPort Batang Pier, 115-105, Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

The bruising big man made 12-of-17 field goals, while also hauling down 13 rebounds, dishing out seven assists and stealing the ball twice in the wire-to-wire win.

The Elasto Painters were on fire from the start of the game, leading by as much as 22 points, 40-18, in the second quarter following an alley-oop finish by Mac Belo.

NorthPort, though, would not go down without a fight, cutting the lead to four, 56-60, in the third quarter with a 3-pointer by Joshua Munzon.

However, this was the closest the Batang Pier got to as Rain or Shine kept their distance in the final frame.

NorthPort was able to go within eight, 94-102, with 3:52 remaining following an and-one play by Zav Lucero.

Rain or Shine, however, would unleash a backbreaking 8-2 run capped by a pair of freebies by Adrian Nocum to go up by an insurmountable 14 point lead, 110-96, with 1:44 left.

Belga has been on a tear in the previous month, scoring at least 18 points in each of the last six games of Rain or Shine.

Earlier this month, he recorded a triple double of 25 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists.

Jhonard Clarito backstopped Belga with 17 points off the bench. Nocum chipped in 16.

The rookie Lucero had 29 points and seven rebounds for the Batang Pier in the losing effort. Allyn Bulanadi added 26 in 25 minutes off the bench.

With the win, the Elasto Painters rose to 5-4 in the season, dealing NorthPort’s third straight loss as the latter crashed to 4-4.