2014 PBA Governors Cup Finals: Painters tie it up in OT!

Jeff Chan scored 14 points as ROS tied the Govs' Cup Finals at one game apiece.

Game notes:
- For a whole half, it seemed like AZ Reid was living out the Best Import’s curse. The Best Import, you see, usually has a subpar game on the same night he’s named Best Import, and when Reid ended up with just 2 points after the first 24 minutes, well, things were definitely NOT looking good. He bounced back in a big way, however, scoring 13 points in the third period and hitting big shots in OT as the Elasto-Painters squared their titular series with the Mixers at 1-1. Reid scored a total of 29 points on top of 17 rebounds and 4 assists.

- James Yap had another strong scoring performance, making 9 of his 19 field goal attempts to finish with 22 points. Yap didn’t have a very productive elimination round this conference, but he has surely stepped up in this, the biggest of stages. He scored all 7 SMC points in the extra session, but even his velvet touch wasn’t enough to tow the Mixers to a 2-0 lead.

- Three-point shooting turned out to be a big difference-maker in this match. SMC shot 4/24 from long range, which was good for only 17%, while coach Yeng Guiao’s wards connected on 11/32 three-point tries, which was good for 34%. Reid and Jeff Chan each made three treys while Paul Lee hit twice form downtown to lead the ROS ballistic barrage.

Game recaps by Rey Joble/InterAKTV:

RAIN OR SHINE over SAN MIG SUPER COFFEE, 89-87 (OT)

Rain or Shine and their Best Import of the Conference Arizona Reid bucked a slow start to come back and edge Grand Slam-chasing San Mig Coffee, 89-87, in an overtime thriller to tie the PLDT Home Telpad Governors’ Cup finals at one game apiece on Thursday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.

Reid only scored two points in the first half but came on strong in the latter two periods and overtime to finish with 29 points and 17 rebounds.

He also made all the big shots for the Elasto Painters, scoring the last seven Rain or Shine points in regulation and the game-winning three-pointer with just 6.7 seconds left in the game.

The overtime was a veritable duel between Reid and two-time PBA MVP James Yap, who scored all seven of San Mig Coffee’s points in the extra period.

But it was Reid coming out on top after hitting two clutch three-pointers, one that gave Rain or Shine the lead, 86-85, with 1:31 left, and another after Yap swung the game back San Mig Coffee’s way with a pump fake and a cold-blooded jumper with 14 seconds remaining.

Jeff Chan added 14 points for Rain or Shine while Paul Lee scored 12 and Gabe Norwood chipped in with 10 to do their part for the Elasto Painters’ cause.

Yap led San Mig Coffee with 22 points.

San Mig Coffee, behind a hot start from Yap, jumped to an early lead, going up by as much as 12 points, 19-7, before settling for a 24-18 advantage at the end of the first.

Yap had nine points after the opening period.

The Mixers held their advantage through much of the second before the Elasto Painters found their touch late, firing off 11 straight points to momentarily take the lead, 37-36, before Marc Pingris hit a free throw to tie the game up at the halftime break.

But Reid finally got going in the third.

He worked in the post and in transition on his way to scoring 13 big points in leading his team to a seven-point lead, 66-59, after three periods.

San Mig Coffee, though, scored the first 12 points of the fourth on the strength of the fresh legs of their second unit.

Mark Barroca and Alex Mallari spearheaded the run capped by a highlight reel alley-oop slam by pint-sized Justin Melton off a lob from Mallari.

After three points from Reid and Paul Lee, Mallari again stepped up, responding with back-to-back baskets, one of them a three-pointer, to give San Mig Coffee a 76-69 lead.

But Rain or Shine made one last run at the end, finishing with a 9-2 run, seven of those from Reid, as they forced overtime, 80-all.

ROS 89 – Reid 29, Chan 14, Lee 12, Norwood 10, Cruz 8, Teng 7, Belga 4, Arana 3, Almazan 2, Tiu 0, Ibanes 0, Rodriguez 0.
SMC 87 – Yap 22, Pingris 17, Blakely 14, Simon 11, Mallari 7, Barroca 6, Sangalang 6, Melton 4, Maliksi 0, Devance 0, Reavis 0.
QS: 18-24, 37-37, 66-59, 80-80, 89-87 (OT).