Elasto Painters get their payback, topple Gin Kings

3 hours ago

Rain or Shine finally earned a measure of revenge against Barangay Ginebra.

Months after seeing its championship hopes dashed by the Gin Kings in the Commissioner's Cup semifinals, the Elasto Painters turned the tables Sunday, defeating Ginebra, 108-99, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum to collect their second straight win in the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup.

After stumbling through an 0-2 start, Rain or Shine has suddenly found its rhythm, following up its victory over Phoenix with another statement performance against one of the league's traditional powerhouses.

The Elasto Painters seized control with a blistering third quarter, pouring in 36 points to transform a slim halftime edge into a commanding 89-73 cushion entering the final period. The advantage eventually stretched to 18 points, leaving Ginebra with too much ground to make up despite a late rally.

Head coach Yeng Guiao acknowledged that timing also played a role in the victory.

"We caught Ginebra at a time when they were tired coming from their Friday game," Guiao said.

He also felt the Gin Kings were due for a shooting regression after their offensive explosion against Blackwater.

"They shot the ball very well on Friday. I was hoping the law of averages would catch up with them and that their shooting percentage would go down," he added.

Aaron Fuller once again anchored Rain or Shine with a dominant performance, finishing with 37 points, 12 rebounds, and five assists.

Caelan Tiongson provided the perfect complement, burying five three-pointers en route to 21 points and five rebounds to earn Player of the Game honors. Nine of those points came during the game-changing third-quarter surge.

"We started the conference 0-2, so coming into this game we were just focused on getting the win," Tiongson said. "We have a great import who draws a lot of defensive attention, and that opened up spaces for us."

Adrian Nocum continued to flourish as the team's primary playmaker, producing 13 points and a career-high 10 assists, while Jhonard Clarito added 13 points and seven rebounds.

Ginebra leaned on Riley Grigsby, who finished with 25 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, but the Gin Kings struggled to recover after falling behind by double digits. RJ Abarrientos and Troy Rosario scored 13 points each, Jeremiah Gray had 11, and Stephen Holt and Japeth Aguilar added 10 apiece as Ginebra slipped to 1-2.

The two clubs return to action Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena, where Rain or Shine meets Magnolia before Ginebra renews its rivalry with Meralco.