Rain or Shine survived a gutsy La Salle team even as Converge outlasted Phoenix in overtime as the four teams wrapped up the exciting first day of the Kadayawan Invitational Basketball Tournament at the USEP Gym in Davao City.
The Elasto Painters pulled off a thrilling 106-105 win, but not after banking on their experience in the crucial stretch before edging the reigning UAAP champions.
Import Aaron Fuller delivered the go-ahead short stab coming off a hi-low play with Beau Belga, then Jhonard Clarito stripped off Kevin Quiambao, who was about to take the potential game-winning triple as time expired.
Fuller, the returning PBA import, who will be playing for the second time in his career under head coach Yeng Guiao, finished with 33 points and 18 rebounds.
Rookies Felix Lemetti and Francis Escandor played their first game as Elasto Painters while Mason Amos also made his debut in La Salle uniform.
Caelan Tiongson, selected seventh overall by the Elasto Painters, was on the bench and observed how his team plays.
The 32-year-old, Fil-foreign player joined the team in Davao City to bond with his teammates and also take the opportunity of resuming talks with the coaching staff and the management on becoming the latest member of the Elasto Painters.
But the more interesting match up was seen up front with reigning UAAP MVP and current Gilas Pilipinas player Quiambao going up against former national team member and Rain or Shine mainstay Belga.
It was a battle of finesse against physicality. Skills against smarts as No.28 mirrored no. 28.
At one stretch, Quiambao was able to hit a three-point shot, then Belga countered with a three-point play of his own against the younger Quiambao.
Earlier, Converge nipped Converge, 132-127, in the other game.
