MANILA: Gabe Norwood, just days after telling everyone that they haven’t seen the best of him yet, was the man for Rain or Shine.
Norwood was more assertive offensively last night, shooting a career-high 23 points to go with nine rebounds as the Elasto Painters survived Barangay Ginebra, 106-102, to climb up the standings in the Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
The high-flying Fil-American, seen as the savior of this team that has never made it past the eliminations in its PBA existence, kept the Painters in the game just when it seemed that they were ready to fold in the second half.
Not only was he scoring, but he continuously got his teammates involved while providing the fire that suddenly went missing from the second quarter on. After opening up with a big 34 points in the first period to take several double digit leads, the Painters were held to just 12 points in the second quarter and found themselves trailing the Gin Kings by two points at the half.
Rain or Shine improved its franchise-best start to 5-3, good for solo third at the moment, while dealing the Kings a fifth straight loss in a 2-5 card despite gallant efforts from a roster still missing the services of Mark Caguioa, Junthy Valenzuela and Rafi Reavis. That record now stands as the best-ever for the Painters, who have never won more than four games in a tournament and never more than four in an all-Filipino event.
TY Tang, another rookie, also shone with 20 points, while Solomon Mercado chipped in with 13 as the Painters made a franchise-best 16 triples, six of them coming in the fourth period when they played catch up. “It’s the character of our rookies, they made it (victory) happen again,” said Painters coach Caloy Garcia. “Our rookies are building the team’s character. Hopefully, we can carry the momentum of this game in our next assignment.”
Jay-R Reyes, Garcia’s potent third-year center, completed a three-point play off Eric Menk with 79 seconds remaining which capped an 18-4 run that turned the tide in favor of the Painters. Menk finished with 24 points for the Kings, but Jay-Jay Helterbrand’s offense was the missing link for Ginebra.
The fiery point guard finished with just 11 points, six of them inside the final minute when the outcome was already beyond doubt. San Miguel also sustained its tear, outlasting Air21, 130-129, in double overtime after four straight Lordy Tugade free throws inside the final 2:24.
The Beermen actually blew a 19-point lead early in the fourth quarter, and earned a break when a Ranidel de Ocampo triple just before the first overtime buzzer was ruled as a long two-pointer by the referees.
Air21, though, will place the game under protest before 12 noon today precisely because of that shot, which was replayed again and again inside the coliseum screen and one which the referees missed by a mile. San Miguel improved to 6-2 for the solo lead, with idle Alaska now in second at 5-2 before Rain or Shine, which has made heads turn this early mainly because of its two super rookies in Norwood and Mercado.
“It’s pretty disappointing, getting robbed of a win because of a simple and glaring call like that,” Air21 coach Bo Perasol told Arab News while making his way back to the parking lot.
Had that shot been accepted as a triple, Air21 would have had a 123-122 lead heading into the final 9.8 of the first extension. The Express didn’t get the chance to challenge the decision that made it a two-pointer, as the Beermen didn’t call for time and decided to go for the win and not stop the clock.
League rules allow challenges inside the final two minutes of each period, provided that action on the floor comes to a stop and that the quarter in question doesn’t end before the challenge is made.
