By Ivan Saldajeno
QUEZON CITY--Rain Or Shine completed a comeback from a 17-point deficit to take down Talk 'n Text, 116-108, in Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday night.
The Elasto Painters failed to sustain a game-opening 7-0 blitz and lost the lead to the Tropang Texters in the second quarter.
An 18-0 run anchored by three straight triples from Jayson Castro pushed Talk 'n Text up, 58-41, with 2:40 remaining in the second period.
Rain Or Shine, however, slowly crawled back and retook the lead, 85-84, at the end of the third quarter.
The Texters countered two free throws by Paul Lee to start the fourth frame with five straight points to regain the advantage, 89-87.
That turned out to be their last taste of the lead as the Elasto Painters, led by Lee, Wayne Chism, and Jeff Chan, took control of the rest of the quarter and found ways to hold off the Texters' mini-rallies in the end.
Chism led Rain Or Shine, which tied its best-of-seven championship series against Talk 'n Text at one game apiece, with 30 points, 13 rebounds, three assists, and three steals. Lee added 20 points and four assists.
Castro scored a game-high 44 points, 27 in the first half alone, on nine three-pointers, the single-game most for a local in PBA finals history.
Box Scores:
Rain Or Shine 116-Chism 30, Lee 20, Chan 17, Norwood 14, Ibanes 12, Belga 8, Arana 7, Almazan 4, Teng 2, Quinahan 2, Jeri. Cruz 0, Tang 0, Tiu 0, Jerv. Cruz 0
Talk 'n Text 108-Castro 44, Johnson 20, De Ocampo 15, Rosser 10, Fonacier 8, Alas 5, Williams 2, Seigle 2, Aban 2
Quarterscores: 27-26, 49-62, 85-84, 116-108
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