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By REYNALD MAGALLON
Aaron Fuller let out a loud roar after scoring the go-ahead basket late in Game 3.
More than a fierce picture of celebration, it was seemingly a sigh of relief as Rain or Shine, after three games, finally got the monkey off its back.
The hulking Elasto Painters import once again carried his team on his broad shoulders to finally get into the semis win column with a pulsating 110-109 victory over TNT in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup at the City of Dasmarinas Arena on Sunday, Oct. 13.
With the Elasto Painters on the verge of huge collapse after squandering a once 15-point lead in the second half, Fuller scored a clutch-and-1 play to put ROS back on the lead before bothering Rondae Hollis-Jefferson enough to miss TNT’s potential game winner at the buzzer
Fuller had another yeoman’s job inside the paint with 26 points and 16 rebounds as he not only helped ROS cut the series deficit to 2-1 but also avoid getting buried in the deep 0-3 hole in the best-of-seven affair.
In a wild sequence in the waning seconds, ROS, down by two, 107-109, completed a stop against TNT that gave it a chance to either tie the game or get the lead back.
As Andrei Caracut surveyed the floor, he found a streaking Fuller off the secondary attack and went on to bulldoze his way against the TNT defense to knot the game at 109-apiece.
Making it sweeter was a foul was also called on RR Pogoy, sending Fuller to the line for a foul shot which he coolly sank to give his the Elasto Painters a precarious 110-109 cushion with 3.2 seconds left
TNT went to their best offensive weapon in Hollis-Jefferson in their final possession but he went straight to the defense of Fuller and Norwood, coming up short on the floater and allowing ROS to escape with the win.
Santi Santillan had his best game of the playoffs to support Fuller with 20 points spiked by four triples while Jhonard Clarito added 15.
Meanwhile in the first game, Barangay Ginebra proved to be the steadier team this time as Justin Brownlee, Stephen Holt and Scottie Thompson all delivered the key plays down the stretch to turn back a pesky San Miguel, 99-94.
With the Beermen closing the gap in the waning minutes, the Kings, behind the trio, did just enough to keep ahead and eventually slam the door on the SMB comeback retake the series lead, 2-1.
Brownlee led the way with 30 points, nine rebounds and five assists while Japeth Aguilar amply supported him with 22 points.
Ginebra was protecting a 93-85 lead when SMB made a last ditch effort to cut the deficit down to just three, 93-90, with 1:41 left.
Holt stopped the bleeding for the Kings with a conversion before Thompson collared two huge offensive rebounds which eventually led to a Brownlee layup that made it 97-90 for the Kings.
Thompson struggled offensively with eight points while committing six turnovers but more than made up for it with his hustle evident in eight rebounds – five of which from the offensive end including the two crucial boards down the stretch.
The Scores :
First Game
GINEBRA 99 – Brownlee 30, J.Aguilar 22, Ahanmisi 15, Holt 11, Abarrientos 8, Thompson 8, Cu 5, Adamos 0, Devance 0.
SAN MIGUEL 94 – Anosike 32, Perez 13, Fajardo 12, Lassiter 12, Cruz 9, Romeo 8, Trollano 3, Ross 3, Tauatuaa 2, Rosales 0.
QUARTERS : 25-20, 54-45, 76-72, 99-94
Second Game:
RAIN OR SHINE 110 – Fuller 26, Santillan 20, Clarito 15, Lemetti 11, Nocum 10, Datu 7, Mamuyac 6, Norwood 6, Caracut 5, Belga 2, Asistio 2,
TNT 109 – Erram 27, Hollis-Jefferson 23, Pogoy 22, Nambatac 17, Oftana 17, Aurin 2, Khobuntin 1, Galinato 0, Exciminiano 0, Varilla 0, Heruela 0,
QUARTERS : 23-27, 51-43, 86-78, 110-109