MANILA -- Rain Or Shine won a heated match-up with GlobalPort on Sunday night in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The Elasto Painters took a 96-90 victory over the Batang Pier in a match that got chippy down the stretch.
ROS, after giving up 30 points in the first quarter, limited GlobalPort to a combined 32 in the next two quarters to set up its winning run in the final frame.
That was where tension intensified.
Chris Tiu was hit by an elbow from Malcolm White while going for a rebound with a little under nine minutes left, and his lip was busted with much blood spilled on the floor.
Moments later, Kelly Nabong shoved Maverick Ahanmisi after Ahanmisi apparently went hard on pushing Sean Anthony away from a heldball situation with Beau Belga, triggering a commotion. Nabong and Ahanmisi were sent off from the game with multiple technical fouls meted.
White then had a spat with Raymond Almazan when the latter charged through the rebounding sequence and hit the former with his elbow.
Despite the emotions, the E-Painters prevailed as Tiu bucked off the busted lip and drained the eventual dagger triple.
Reggie Johnson finished with 18 points, 17 rebounds, seven assists, and two steals for ROS, which will enter the All-Star Break as the number one team in the standings at 5-1.
Malcolm White led GlobalPort with 21 markers, eight boards, two dimes, and two steals.
In the nightcap, Phoenix needed two overtimes before subduing Ginebra, 103-98.
In Eugene Phelps' return, it was Matt Wright who took over in the clutch as the Fuel Masters took advantage of the Barangay having to play all-Filipino with the fouling out of import Chuck Garcia and snatched the hard-fought win.
Phelps, who replaced the injured James White, led Phoenix with 25 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, two steals, and one block.
Wright added 19 points, 11 coming in the dying moments of the game, 10 rebounds, three assists, and one steal.
Japeth Aguilar led Ginebra with 25 markers, nine boards, five dimes, and three blocks. (PNA)
