Elasto Painters outlast Iran, grab 1st win

Anton Asistio finished what Ange Kouame had started as Rain or Shine pulled off a nail-biting 98-90 double-overtime victory over Iran to pick up its first win in the 2023 William Jones Cup at the Taipei Heping Gymnasium on Wednesday.

Asistio showed steely nerves and drained a booming triple with 1:17 left in the second overtime to give the Elasto Painters a 93-88 lead and help them avert another fourth quarter collapse.

Gabe Norwood, reinserted for defensive purposes then completed a stop before Asistio found Kouame underneath to seal the deal for Rain or Shine.

Kouame, who kept Rain or Shine afloat in the extra period after squandering a 14-point lead in the final five minutes of regulation, finished with 20 points — 14 of which he dropped in the two overtime periods — to go along with nine rebounds and nine blocks.

Andrei Caracut added 19 points while Santi Santillan chalked up 17 as the two spearheaded the assault for the Filipinos who built a 72-58 lead in the fourth.

The Iranians, however, refused to go down without a fight and unleashed a blistering 16-2 run to end the regulation and force the extra periods.

Amir Azari paced Iran with 16 points while Amir Yazarloo and Ali Reza Sharifi added 15 apiece.

Rain or Shine go for a back-to-back win when it faces Anyang KGC on Thursday before taking a break the next day.