Rain or Shine nails 1st win

MANILA, Philippines —  Rain or Shine outplayed NorthPort in a Holy Wednesday battle between teams hit by injuries to key players, 113-96, for its first win in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Elasto Painters drew big games from Gian Mamuyac, Leonard Santillan, Andre Caracut, Adrian Nocum, Caelan Tiongson and veteran Gabe Norwood to offset the void left by Beau Belga (vertigo), Shaun Ildefonso and Keith Datu (calf issues) and complete the bounceback to their 95-109 loss to NLEX last week.

Mamuyac dropped 13 points in the first quarter to power Rain or Shine to an early 24-6 margin that the Elastro Painters protected all the way to the finish against the Arvin Tolentino-less Batang Pier (1-1).

Mamuyac finished with 22 points on a 10-of-19 field goal clip (52.6 percent) and +23 efficiency as Santillan (17-10), Caracut (15 plus five assists), Tiongson (15-8), Nocum (10-8) and Norwood (8-10) provided backup.

In the absence of Tolentino (tightness on his right hip flexor), William Navarro (22-12), Joshua Munzon  (14) and comebacking Jio Jalalon (11 with six dimes) took the cudgels for NorthPort.

Meanwhile, commissioner Willie Marcial announced the postponement of the PBA All-Star festivities set for May 2 to 3 in Panabo, Davao del Norte due to “security concerns.”

He shared that plans are afoot to move it to a different venue with a city in the Visayas as potential replacement.

“Ongoing ang talks. We’ll know within two weeks or after the Holy Week,” he said in a briefing yesterday. “At kung matutuloy, after the election natin gagawin ang All-Star.”