Elasto Painters wipe off Sorento, 117-88

Games Friday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:15 p.m. – Alaska vs Meralco

7 p.m. – Globalport vs Purefoods

MANILA, Philippines – Rain or Shine, beating Blackwater the hard way Friday, played heads-up basketball for 48 minutes last night and crushed another expansion team Kia Motors, 117-88, for a second straight win in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Paul Lee returned from a one-game layoff and, with 22 points, led seven RoS players scoring in double figures as the Elasto Painters pummeled a Kia team that continued to miss inspiration from playing coach Manny Pacquiao.

“If you’re not careful, think you’re good enough and you don’t play good enough, you may be in trouble,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao.

“Like any other team, Kia is not weak. This team can spring a surprise. If you take them for granted, they can steal a win,” Guiao added. “Before this game, that’s our concern. We don’t want complacency to creep in.”

The Elasto Painters learned their lesson from their Blackwater game where they had to fight back from a double-digit deficit to hack out an 82-75 win. Earlier, they lost to the San Miguel Beermen.

Jireh Ibanes, Jericho Cruz, TY Tang, Jervy Cruz and JR Quinahan got the team to a good start then Lee, Jonathan Uyloan, Jeric Teng, Jeff Chan, Beau Belga, Raymond Almazan and Gabe Norwood helped sustain their steady charge, dealing Kia a second straight loss after a triumphant debut against Blackwater.

“We started the conference slow in our first two games. We’re just trying to regain our chemistry and confidence back,” said Guiao.

“This is the best way to do it,” Guiao also said of the ghastly rout.

Minus Pacquiao, the Sorento dropped their last two games by a whopping losing margin of 61 points or an average of 31.5.

“We’re lucky they’re missing Congressman Pacquiao. He’s Kia’s big inspiration,” said Guiao, himself a lawmaker, representing the first district of Pampanga in the House of Representatives.

Pacquiao talked to his team in a teleconference before the match. Obviously, it didn’t work.

Firing on all cylinders even minus the injury-hit Chris Tiu and Ryan Arana, the Elasto Painters led by as many as 31 points before completing the massacre.

Lee, back from a hyper-extended knee, top scored with 22 points with Belga adding 16, Tang chipping in 15, and Teng and their two Cruzes tossing in 12 apiece.

Reil Cervantes, a Ginebra discard, paced Kia with 18 markers while Alvin Padilla contributed 17.

The Elasto Painters took the half at 59-46 and kept a big spread through the finish despite 20 turnovers.

Kia beat Rain or Shine only on points off turnovers, 21-16, and on second-chance points, 13-6.

The Elasto Painters walloped the Sorento, 68-35, on bench production.