By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
Senior Reporter

THE Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are not about done with their Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup campaign, staying in the hunt for a quarterfinal spot after defeating the Meralco Bolts, 83-81, in their final game of the elimination round on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Needing to win to stay alive in the race entering the contest, the Elasto Painters did just that with a strong finishing effort in the game en route to outlasting the Bolts.

The win pushed Rain or Shine to a 4-7 record, still in the mix for the two remaining seats in the next round of the season-ending PBA conference.

Rain or Shine was now awaiting the outcome of the game later in the day between the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings (7-3) and Northport Batang Pier (4-6) to have a clearer picture of its playoff fate.

It was a tight affair to begin the game with both teams looking to establish the tone for their respective thrusts.

Rain or Shine was slightly ahead at the end of the first quarter, 23-21, before the Bolts turned the tables around in the second canto, up, 42-41, at the halftime break.

In the third period, Meralco created some separation on the lead of Baser Amer and import Allen Durham.

The Bolts outscored the Elasto Painters, 24-13, to build a 12-point lead, 66-54, with 2:57 left in the frame.

Rain or Shine though would manage to narrow the gap to nine points, 69-60, heading into the final canto.

It picked up where it left off in the third, opening the final quarter with 11 straight points on the lead of import Richard Ross and Mark Borboran and overtaking the Bolts, 71-69, with six minutes to play.

The two teams went back-and-forth after, fighting to an 80-77 count, with Rain or Shine up, entering the last two minutes.

Rey Nambatac made it a five-point lead, 82-77, for the Elasto Painters with a floater in the paint with 1:28 left.

But the Bolts were not to allow Rain or Shine to just run away with the win, pushing themselves to within a point, 82-81, with 47 seconds left on buckets of Mr. Durham and Raymond Almazan.

They, however, could not complete the fight back as a split charity by Jewel Ponferrada to make it a two-point lead, 83-81, for Rain or Shine with 34 seconds to play proved to be enough to preserve the win for the Elasto Painters.

Mr. Ross led Rain or Shine with 26 points and 12 rebounds, with Mr. Nambatac coming up with 24 markers of his own.

For Meralco (8-3), it was Mr. Durham who showed the way with 23 points and 16 rebounds, followed by Messrs. Amer and Almazan with 18 points each.

Despite the loss, the Bolts are safe through the quarterfinals with a twice-to-beat advantage to boot.

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