MANILA: Coach Caloy Garcia just dreads seeing the free-throw line.Rain or Shine survived another atrocious night from the stripe to bring down Talk ‘N Text last night, 118-116 in overtime, as the Elasto Painters now have another streak going to push themselves back into automatic playoff contention in the Fiesta Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
“I get really nervous when we’re on the free throw line,” Garcia told reporters after his squad missed 20 of 45 freebies awarded them to miss winning the game in regulation and allow the Tropang Texters to forge an extra period.
“Save for the horrendous free throw shooting, I just hope we can continue to play this way,” he said. “If we do — and we make more free throws — then I think we can still win a lot of games.”
Rain or Shine improved to 7-5 and is well in contention for the second outright Final Four slot as the Texters lost for the second straight night despite unveiling a new import in former University of Massachusetts mainstay Gary Forbes.
And the win more or less erased the stigma of their first round loss to the Texters, a 92-94 decision which was aided by 10 straight missed free throws bridging the third and fourth periods.
That loss formed a part of a four-game losing streak that had the Elasto Painters dropping from second all the way to the middle of the pack, making most everyone conclude that this young squad does not have the intestinal fortitude to play with the big boys.
But the way the Painters hung in there last night, despite that horrid free throw line performance, makes Garcia believe that he has something good going.
“It was basically about the team being able to step up,” Garcia added. “The players are just starting to show that they have the heart and I just hope that this continues in our next two games for us to have a shot (at an outright playoff slot).”
Lewis wound up with 31 points, 15 rebounds, three steals and two blocks as he threw his 300-pound frame around the shaded lane where the Texters are most vulnerable.
Forbes, who also played for the Panamanian National team in the tournament of the Americas last year, planed in Monday morning and had two workouts with the Texters. But an unlucky twist of fate had him injuring his right hamstring which made things difficult for him the entire night.
He shot just two points in the first half but played through the pain in the second, hitting 19 points in the final two periods and in overtime to almost pull it out for the Texters, who dropped to 5-7.
Forbes had two free throws with 2:19 left in overtime to tie it at 113. But his layup in the waning seconds was smothered by Gabe Norwood which led to another charity split by Norwood on the other end for 116-113.
That missed free throw gave the Texters the opening they needed as Jason Castro, a rookie point guard out of Philippine Christian, hit a triple from the right corner with nine seconds left for the tie which Lewis broke with that putback.
In regulation, Lewis made just one of two free throws with 3.9 seconds remaining and Forbes also muffed a three-point attempt which could have won it for the Texters.
Castro added 19 points, Mac Cardona had 17 and four others scored in twin digits for Talk ‘N Text, the reigning Philippine Cup champion which more or less bowed out of the race for outright berths in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Purefoods seeks a third straight victory and the Tender Juicy Giants try to remain within striking distance of the leaders when they battle lowly Barako Bull at the Olivares Center in Paranaque City at 6 tonight.
Coca-Cola sustained its resurgence, hammering out an 88-79 triumph over Sta. Lucia in the second game after getting a monster game from an equally resurgent Asi Taulava.
Taulava scattered 24 points and had a night-high 20 rebounds to go with three assists and two blocks and the man-mountain got the support he needed from James Penny and a local crew that delivered yet again.
It was the third straight win for the Tigers, who are now at 4-6, while the loss was the fifth in 11 games for the Realtors, who continued to miss Nelbert Omolon and reigning MVP Kelly Williams.
Anthony Johnson had 24 points and 22 rebounds, but only two locals scored in double figures for the Realtors with four, including Paolo Mendoza and Marlou Aquino, failing to contribute offensively.
