By Rey Joble

DEFENDING champion Sta. Lucia Realty gave neophyte Rain or Shine a nasty introduction to playoff basketball.

The Realtors played rough and tough against the Elasto Painters? entertaining brand of play before posting a clinical 101-84 victory to take a headstart in the best-of-three quarterfinal round of the KFC-Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Realtors were in no mood to let their guards down in their bid to become the first back-to-back All-Filipino champion since Great Taste did in 1985.

With the Elasto Painters taken by the Realtors to school, the young turks in the league also lost their composure?and eventually the match. It was all over but the shouting as early as the third period, when Gabe Norwood lost his cool.

Norwood drove hard to the basket in the 5:55 mark in the third period and was fouled by Bitoy Omolon. The top overall rookie pick, visibly frustrated by the beating his team got at the hands of the Realtors, slammed the ball hard on the Sta. Lucia forward. Players stormed inside the court, with Joseph Yeo charging at Norwood and Sol Mercado coming to the aide of his buddy and teammate.

Norwood was thrown out of the game for his actions while technical fouls were meted each on Mercado, Yeo and Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia for continuous complaining.

With their main man out, the Elasto Painters were helpless and couldn?t recover as they watched the Realtors knock down baskets one after another.

A Dennis Espino jumper from the right wing with still 10:08 remaining in the fourth to give his team a commanding 89-63 advantage proved to be the knockout blow delivered by a charged-up Realtors team that extended its winning streak to four dating back the last stage of the eliminations.