Aaron Fuller delivered an impressive double-double with 28 points and 22 rebounds, leading the unbeaten Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to a 116-99 victory over the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters on Friday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Adrian Nocum sparked the comeback, scoring 19 of his 21 points in the second quarter, helping the Elasto Painters recover from a 19-29 deficit in the first period and bringing the game to a 55-all tie by halftime in their 49th Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup showdown.
Andrei Caracut contributed significantly, adding 11 of his 13 points in the final quarter, helping the Elasto Painters break away and secure their fourth consecutive win.
Their collective effort allowed head coach Yeng Guiao to finally breathe a sigh of relief as the Elasto Painters claimed the solo lead in Group B.
“Phoenix is a well-coached team. I was worried because they gave us the sense that they could keep up with us. But at a certain point, you have to create some distance between you and them. Luckily, we managed to pull away in the fourth quarter. Otherwise, it would have been a long night with Phoenix,” Guiao said.
Fuller’s putback and a layup off Nocum’s assist midway through the third period pushed the Elasto Painters ahead from a 76-all tie to an 83-76 advantage.
Caracut’s four-point play and layup with 7:29 remaining in the fourth quarter extended the lead to 99-88, putting the game out of Phoenix’s reach.
The Elasto Painters enjoyed their largest lead of the game at 20 points when Caelan Tiongson hit a jumper with 1:16 left, sealing the final score at 116-96.
Despite playing without an import, the Fuel Masters saw solid contributions from RJ Jazul and JJ Alejandro, who both scored 12 points, while Kai Ballungay added 11.
The Elasto Painters will now take an 11-day break before facing the Fuel Masters again on Sept. 10.
