RAIN or Shine and TNT go for a 2-0 lead in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup semifinals as the scene shifts to the SM Mall of Asia Arena after the series opener saw 10,412 fans in attendance at the Ynares Center-Antipolo. The PBA semifinals has been a familiar destination for Rain or Shine over the past two years—they just haven’t gone past that. But in Wednesday’s Game 1 win over Barangay Ginebra has given Adrian Nocum and the Elasto Painters the belief that the core they had been slowly building and cultivating under coach Yeng Guiao can finally get over the proverbial hump.
RAIN OR SHINE VS. BARANGAY GINEBRA
When: Friday, May 22. 5:15 p.m.
Where: SM Mall of Asia Arena
Painters seek 2-0 lead
Rain or Shine gained the upperhand on Barangay Ginebra on Friday following its 115-111 win. The Elasto Painters had a strong finish, going on an 11-0 blast late in the game to steal the win.
Limit turnovers
Rain or Shine tallied 10 steals and forced 14 turnovers against Ginebra in Game 1. It didn’t exactly hurt Ginebra much since it only had a one-point differential in points off turnovers, 16-15, and Rain or Shine had 11 turnovers in the game. But that could change in Game 2 if the Gins continue to commit more turnovers.
Pinto, Gray, Malonzo give spark
Nards Pinto and Jeremiah Gray made solid contributions off the bench for Ginebra, and the team is hopeful that they can sustain it in Game 2. Pinto had 13 points on a perfect 3-of-3 shooting from three-point range, while Gray had eight points after averaging only 3.3 points prior to Game 1.
Rain or Shine also had Mike Malonzo that gave his team a lift by scoring 12 points, after averaging only 4.0 points in the eliminations.
Quiet night from downtown for Holt
Stephen Holt had a quiet night for Ginebra. Although he still wound up with seven points, five rebounds, and three assists, Holt only shot 1-of-3 from threes. it was only the third time this conference that Holt made just one three, and one of those games incidentally included the Rain or Shine game in the eliminations.
“That has been the biggest thing for us,” Nocum told the Inquirer, praising the Guiao system as Rain or Shine goes for a 2-0 lead in their Commissioner’s Cup Final Four series on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Tipoff is at 5:15 p.m. as the Elasto Painters hope to close in on a spot in the championship round—something they have failed to claim in four previous trips to the semifinals.
Rain or Shine took the opener, 115-111, at Ynares Center in Antipolo after rallying from a 10-point deficit in the fourth quarter, where import Jaylen Johnson and Jhonard Clarito were firing on all cylinders. The Painters paired that effort with defensive gems and timely plays from Nocum and Gian Mamuyac to fuel a mighty finish.
It was Rain or Shine’s first victory in Game 1 of a semifinal series since the 2019 Philippine Cup, as all the series openers against San Miguel Beer (2024 Philippine Cup) and TNT (2024 Governors’ Cup, 2024-25 Commissioner’s Cup and 2025 Philippine Cup) ended in defeats.
The Elasto Painters haven’t been to the Finals since winning it all back in the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup, the last time an independent ballclub ruled a PBA conference. Nocum and the young core need three more wins to break that spell.
Rain or Shine survived Barangay Ginebra by the skin of its teeth, 115-111, to take Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals at Ynares Sports Center here on Wednesday night.
Jhonard Clarito spearheaded the Elasto Painters’ gritty win in the best-of-seven series opener with 25 points, six rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block.
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