Game Saturday (Cagayan de Oro City)
5 p.m. — Alaska vs B-Meg Derby Ace

Games Sunday (Araneta Coliseum)
4 p.m. — Sta. Lucia vs Air21
6:30 p.m. — San Miguel vs Ginebra

Not even a deep cut on his right brow can stop Coca-Cola import James Penny from having a big game Friday night, but it was not enough to stop Rain or Shine from snaring victory.

The Elasto Painters relied on steady shooting from the foul line down the stretch as they spoiled the Tigers’ bid to regain the solo lead with a 91-80 decision in the PBA Fiesta Cup Friday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Rain or Shine import Jai Lewis finished with 19 points, shooting 6 of 12 from the field and 7 of 10 from the foul line – most of which came down the stretch. He also grabbed 13 rebounds with two assists in 42 minutes of action.

Protecting an 81-76 lead, Lewis scored six straight points, nailing 3 of 4 free throws. In his last missed foul shot, he took the rebound for a putback that gave them an 86-76 advantage with 1:30 left.

Playmaker Sol Mercado contributed 17 points with four rebounds, three assists and three steals while Jay-R Reyes added 14 points and Gabe Norwood contributed 13. Reyes and Norwood had eight rebounds each as Rain or Shine controlled the boards, 46-41.

The win improved Rain or Shine’s record to 3-2 while the Tigers plunged to third with a 4-2 card.

“I think we showed character after we lost to Ginebra,” Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia said, referring to the 98-100 setback to Barangay Ginebra in the PBA road-game presented by Phoenix Fuel last week in Victorias City, Negros Occidental.

In that game, game the Painters blew a 16-point lead in the third period.

“It was difficult to rebound from a loss like that,” he added.

“In this game, it was almost the same, we led by 17, but they were able to come back. But my players stepped up, they showed character.”

It was the first meeting between the two teams this conference since the ninth-seeded Painters eliminated the sixth-seeded Tigers in the knockout wildcard phase of the Philippine Cup to advance in the quarterfinals.

Because of a deep vertical cut in his right brow that needed six stitches, Penny did not start for the Tigers. He entered the game midway of the first period wearing a protective mask, which he removed later in the second quarter.

Penny, a veteran import in the PBA, missed the last five minutes of Coke’s 79-76 thrilling victory opposite reigning Philippine Cup champion B-Meg Derby Ace after he was hit with an inadvertent elbow by import Lo Wade.

First Game
RAIN OR SHINE 91 — Lewis 19, Mercado 17, Reyes 14, Norwood 13, Arana 8, Chan 6, Laure 6, Ibañes 5, Hrabak 3, Tang 0, Salangsang 0.
COCA-COLA 80 — Penny 34, Espino 11, David 10, Cruz 7, Lanete 6, Rodriguez 4, Taulava 4, Bono 2, Macapagal 2, Allera 0, Ross 0, Rizada 0, Gonzales 0.
Quarters: 19-19, 47-30, 65-59, 91-80.