Rain or Shine Elastopainters’ Felix Lemetti in a PBA Governors’ Cup out of town game against Ginebra. –PBA IMAGES
SCHEDULE: 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup elimination round
Rookie Felix Lemetti came through in the crunch on Saturday night, helping Rain or Shine past Barangay Ginebra, 73-64, at Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur.
The ElastoPainters, behind their eighth overall pick in the Rookie Draft, went on a roll inside the final four minutes of the road game, and kept their fancied foes scoreless until the final horn to capture a second-straight victory in Group B of the Governors’ Cup.
Import Aaron Fuller had 16 points and 23 rebounds that went with three assists to earn Player of the Game honors, but there was no denying that Lemetti, a Swedish standout born to a Filipino mom, was the biggest star of the win over the Gin Kings, who was coming off a massive facelift during the off-season.
READ: PBA: Yeng Guiao thrilled over Rain or Shine rookies’ showing
Lemetti had delivered 13 points, most of his baskets coming from a cutthroat effort that began with the three freebies that brought Rain or Shine up, 64-64, with 3:53 on the clock.
The crafty guard then hit a dagger triple over returning Ginebra import Justin Brownlee to put the game beyond doubt with a little over a minute left in the contest.
Andrei Caracut had 14 points, Gian Mamuyac nine as Rain or Shine turned in a victory that spoke volumes for independent teams.
Elasto Painters head coach Yeng Guiao was the biggest dissenting voice of the the trades that allowed Barangay Ginebra to land Rookie of the Year Stephen Holt, now-healthy Isaac Go and the No. 3 pick of the draft, which turned out to be RJ Abarrientos, ahead of the new season.
Saturday’s duel was the first time the two clubs tangled since Guiao’s pointed remarks that made the rounds on the internet just before the PBA Rookie Draft.
READ: PBA: Time-built Painters ready for battle
Japeth Aguilar showed the way for Barangay Ginebra with 20 points, while Brownlee chipped in 18 in the scoring effort. Holt had 13 while Maverick Ahanmisi added five.
Abarrientos, the highly-touted playmaker who many felt would impress in his PBA debut, had only two points.
Rain or Shine battles Guiao’s old team NLEX next, while Barangay Ginebra will try to tab its first victory against corporate sibling San Miguel Beer.
The Scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 73 – Fuller 16, Caracut 14, Lemetti 13, Mamuyac 9, Tiongson 5, Clarito 4, Belga 3, Ildefonso 3, Santillan 2, Nocum 2, Datu 2, Norwood 0, Asistio 0, Borboran 0
GINEBRA 64 – J.Aguilar 20, Brownlee 18, Holt 13, Ahanmisi 5, Thompson 4, Go 2, Abarrientos 2, Cu 0
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Quarterscores: 19-16, 29-34, 51-52, 73-64