Rain or Shine clawed back from an early 17-point deficit, engaged B-Meg in a fierce battle in the second half and ultimately prevailed with steadier nerves in the crucial stretch in a 94-89 victory last night that put the Elasto Painters to within a win of realizing a franchise first — the Philippine Basketball Association Governors Cup crown.
Gabe Norwood uncorked a three-pointer, import Jamelle Cornley scored on a tough hook shot while guards Ryan Buenafe and Jeff Chan confidently canned in for free throws in the last 38 seconds in an 11-8 wind-up that saw the Elasto Painters frustrate an attempt at a takeover by the Llamados from an 81-83 deficit, going into the last five minutes of the game.
The Llamados were not without opportunities to turn the game around but their endgame stand was marred by four muffed attempts — including two from pointblank range — and four missed free throws that told it all in their second straight loss to the Elasto Painters in this Finals series.
The Elasto Painters are now up, 3-1, in this best-of-seven playoff and need only one more win out of three remaining chances to claim the franchise’s first title since joining the PBA in 2007 — a bid they have captured in their team’s battle cry “We dare to dream.”
“We got some breathing room. But it’s by no means done. It’s not over until it’s done. This is a vulnerable moment (because) we might think it’s over, but it’s not,” remarked Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao whose wards nevertheless hold a considerable edge in the playoff where only three other teams — Ginebra, Purefoods and Talk ‘N Text — have come back from a 1-3 disadvantage in a best-of-7 playoff.
 And it looked like B-Meg’s gambit not to use his top guns in Game 3’s final quarter to rest them was paying off when James Yap unloaded 11 of his 25 points in the first quarter alone that shoved the Llamados ahead with a 29-12 lead.
“We just gotlucky we got out of that hole. We were not making our shots from the outside. Buti naman nung bandang huli, kumokonek na ang mga tira namin,” Guiao, himself seeking a sixth title as a coach, noted.