Coca-Cola’s Chris Ross finds himself trapped by Tyrone Tang and Gabe Norwood during PBA action Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. (Photo by ALI VICOY)

Games on Friday
(Ynares Sports Center)
2:30 p.m. – San Miguel vs. Smart-Gilas
5 p.m. – Talk ‘N Text vs. Burger
7:30 p.m. – Coca-Cola  vs. Ginebra

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters had just dropped the “doormat” tag, hanging the label on somebody else.

Sol Mercado poured 14 of his 24 points in the fourth quarter as the Painters traded places with Coca-Cola Wednesday night, ripping the Tigers, 92-84, on the penultimate day of the first round of elimination in the KFC-PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

Mercado, who also dished off eight assists – including a lob pass which Gabe Norwood converted into a baseline alley-oop dunk for 87-80 – was untouchable in his inside forays, shredding Coke’s zone and man-to-man defense with blinding speed and soaring take-offs from the dribble.

He had nine points in a 14-2 run as Rain or Shine, now 2-7, stretched a 68-65 lead to 82-67, the surge capped by a TY Tang three-point shot with six minutes left in the game.

Coke, which has lost four in a row, slipped to 1-7 with the closing first round meeting with Barangay Ginebra up next on Friday.

Jeff Chan, the hotshot from Far Eastern, displayed his emerging value for the Painters by draining back-to-back 3-pointers at the start the fourth quarter to get the Tigers off their backs, 66-58.

Rain or Shine trailed 58-56 late in the third period after coming back from a double-digit deficit. But Eddie Laure hit consecutive jumpers and Mercado swooped for a layup to set the stage for the Painters’ fourth quarter breakaway.

Coke came as close as 87-83 as Alex Cabagnot scored nine of his 13 points in the last period. But Chan slapped a Tigers miss towards the Rain or Shine frontcourt, paving the way for a Mercado fast break.

“I told Sol that he has to play consistently, hindi lang tira ng tira, if he wants more playing time,” said Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia, who now looks forward to the rest of the elimination after stepping out of the cellar.

“Mas me confidence na kami going to the next round,” he said.

Laure added 11 points, while Chan and veteran center Mark Clemence Telan, each had six rebounds.

Mark Macapagal led Coke with 16 points, but the Tigers, who dominated the boards, 54-37, continued to flounder without the injured Asi Taulava (ankle sprain).

The Tigers held the Painters to 5 of 18 field goals in the second quarter, dropping a 15-2 run in the closing minutes en route to a 48-36 lead at the half.

Mark Macapagal and Norman Gonzales each had nine points in the first half, and Coke hit 4 of 5 three-point shots in the second period to underscore its outside accuracy.

Rain or Shine was mangled under the boards, 28-16, in the first 24 minutes, holding a 10-3 edge in offensive rebounds.

The Painters couldn’t miss from inside the arc in the first quarter, hitting 10 of 13 while Coke struggled, 9 of 23 overall. But the Tigers came out with a menacing defense in the ensuing period, clawing their way back in dominating the rest of the way.

Scores:
RAIN OR SHINE 92 – Mercado 24, Chan 16, Laure 11, Norwood 8, Tang 8, Arana 7, Reyes 5, Hrabak 5, Cruz 4, Telan 4, Ibanes 0.
COCA-COLA 84 – Macapagal 16, Rodrigiez 15, Cabagnot 13, Espino 10, Calimag 9, Gonzales N. 9, Ross 7, Rizada 5, Allera 0, Bono 0, Gonzales W. 0, Singson 0.
Quarters: 24-21; 36-48; 60-58; 92-84.