ROS NOT GIVING UP

On its third try in Season 49, Rain or Shine stopped TNT from closing out their semifinal duel in a Game 5 while it kept its own bid alive.

- By OLMIN LEYBA

Fighting for dear life and making an all-out effort to avoid the fate that befell them in the previous PBA Governors' and Commissioner's Cup, the Elasto Painters hammered a 113-97 romp to cut their deficit to 2-3 in the Philippine Cup race-to-four Final Four series last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Elasto Painters detonated a crippling 37-12 salvo in the third quarter to storm ahead of a TNT side that couldn't find an antidote while dealing with the absence of coach Chot Reyes, big man Kelly Williams and gunner RR Pogoy.

Reyes served his one-game suspension for accumulating five technical fouls in the conference, with his fifth T happening in their 108-92 Game 4 win, as Williams sat it out on ankle sprain, joining RR Pogoy (hamstring) on sick bay.