B-Meg nips Rain or Shine, Llamados inch closer to top 2

Sol Mercado sizzled hot almost throughout only to fizzle out in the crunch. Mercado exploded for a career-best 45 points but missed money shots, allowing B-MEG Derby Ace to preserve an 86-84 victory over a late-charging Rain or Shine squad in the PBA Fiesta Conference at the Cuneta Astrodome Friday night.

The Llamados scored a third straight win that firmed up their hold of third spot at 10-5, a game and half behind the San Miguel Beermen (11-3) and a full game in front of the Barangay Ginebra Kings (9-6) and the Alaska Aces Milk (9-6).

Mercado played like a man possessed, pouring in all his output in the first 46 minutes of the game before misfiring shots that mattered the most at the finish.

The Llamados eventually escaped with the win as Gabe Norwood missed Rain or Shine’s last-gasp attempt in the dying seconds.

The Elasto Painters failed to complete what could have been a great come-from-behind win and instead went down with their seventh loss against the same number of wins.

“We really need that win. And it’s not good to lose that kind of game,” Derby Ace coach Ryan Gregorio sighed after the game.

“The close shave allowed us to keep solo third. We still have three games left and we’re still aiming for the top two. If an outright semis berth is available, we’ll keep on fighting, we’ll keep on pushing,” Gregorio added.

James Yap led the Llamados with 20 points but got kudos from his coach for the defensive effort he put up on Mercado in the last two minutes of the game.

“It’s a little late that we put James on Mercado. But though it was late, it was enough to win the game for us,” said Gregorio.

Mercado went 7-of-8 from beyond the arc and 7-of-9 from the two-point zone versus Roger Yap and Paul Artadi in the first 46 minutes of play.

The Fil-foreign guard waxed hottest early in the fourth, scattering 22 points that had Rain or Shine wiping out a huge deficit to come within a point at 82-83 with 1:23 left to play.

The Elasto Painters had a chance to go ahead when Mercado had his second missed three-point shot.

After Yap made two free throws to make it 85-82, Mercado muffed another critical three-pointer.

“Sol played a hell of a game. I haven’t seen anybody play that way before. We barely escaped,” said Gregorio.

Mercado also canned in 10 free throws to complete his 45-point game – the best by any local player in the league since Mark Caguioa made the same output in 2006.

Mercado’s previous best was 35 which he put in last conference. (SB)

The scores:

B-Meg Derby Ace 86 - Yap J. 20, Brown 18, Artadi 15, Pingris 8, Reavis 8, Yap R. 6, Maierhofer 4, Allado 4, Simon 2, Canaleta 1.

Rain or Shine 84 - Mercado 45, Norwood 9, Chan 7, Arana 7, Cruz 6, Reyes 5, Lewis 3, Ibanes 2, Tang 0, Laure 0, Hrabak 0.

Quarters: 23-14, 53-37, 67-51, 86-84