Andrei Caracut provided the spark in the final frame as Rain or Shine pulled off a 102-100 escape over Magnolia to put a winning end to the year in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Wednesday, Dec. 18.

The Elasto Painters squandered a double-digit lead in the payoff period but Caracut took matters into his own hands and rallied his squad back into the contest to record their third-straight win after dropping their first game. 

Caracut displayed poise under pressure and dropped 10 of his 15 points in the final frame – none bigger than a booming four-point with 3:20 left to tie the game at 100-all before Adrian Nocum gave ROS the lead for good with a jumper.

It was a battle of stops from there as both squads came up dry in their final possessions to settle with the score.

Import Deon Thompson had 18 points and 18 rebounds to go with three steals and three blocks while Leonard Santillan had 17 points – most of it came in the first three quarters where ROS kept control of the tempo.

The Elasto Painters led by as many as 13 points but the Hotshots came roaring back in the final frame and even took a 12-point lead, 98-86.

That was when Caracut injected life into ROS' fight scoring six straight points to keep them within striking distance before the rest of the crew picked up the slack.

Ricardo Ratliffe finished with 27 points and 13 rebounds but had to watch from the bench in the last 2:46 after picking up his sixth and final foul. Ian Sangalang also had 21 points in a losing effort as the Hotshots slid to the third straight defeat for a 1-4 record.