Metro Manila (CNN Philippines) — “Only God can script a game like this.”
This was how Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao described his team’s come-from-behind 113-110 victory over San Miguel Beer in Game 2 of their Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup semifinal duel at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Guiao, a multi-titled coach, has been through many battles in the 40-year-old league, but said Rain or Shine’s win on Saturday (July 4) is definitely one for the books.
“I’ve been coaching a for long time and this is probably the most amazing comeback I’ve coached,” he told sport scribes after their conquest of the Beermen.
“Only God can write a story this way.”
Rain or Shine had to overcome a 20-point deficit and Marcio Lassiter’s torrid shooting night to win and tie the best-of-five duel at 1-all.
Lassiter shot nine of his 10 three-pointers in the second half on his way to a career-high 31 points.
But the Elasto Painters slowly cut the Beermen down to size behind the Herculean efforts of import Wendell McKines.
The beefy reinforcement carried the team on his broad shoulders with 53 points and 17 rebounds.
McKines intercepted Lassiter’s lousy pass to import Arizona Reid in a crucial stop that led to the game-winning triple by Jeff Chan.
“We thought it was a lost game,” said the fiery mentor, who threw both his arms to the air following Chan’s triple that salvaged them from the jaws of defeat.
“We just tried to finetune our defense in preparation for Game 3. But it gave us this kind of result.”
He added, “A team made up of lesser staff would have been broken down. I’m proud of how the guys stood up against torrid shooting of San Miguel.”
