The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters bucked a slow start and still managed to blow out the Phoenix Fuel Masters, 133-103, on Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. The win is Rain or Shine’s sixth of the PBA Governors’ Cup.
What Happened?
Phoenix started off like a team determined to play spoiler, getting ahead, 30-27, at the end of the opening frame behind 9 points from Gian Mamuyac, 8 from Marcellus Earlington, and 5 from Ricci Rivero. Rain or Shine course-corrected in the second as Santi Santillan and Adrian Nocum fired 13 and 7, respectively, to lead a 42-32 quarter and head into intermission with a 69-62 advantage.
Rain or Shine then took full control of the game in the third, with Felix Lemetti, Aaron Fuller, and Nocum leading the charge early and Jhonard Clarito, Luis Villegas, and Mike Malonzo chipping in later for a 41-22 third quarter and a 110-84 lead going into the final frame. The fourth quarter was a mere formality as the Elasto Painters cruised to the win and a quarterfinals clash with the red-hot Converge FiberXers.
Who Stood Out?
Everyone Yeng Guiao put in contributed something positive for Rain or Shine, with the bench leading much of the way. Clarito notably starred against Phoenix, tying Fuller for game-high honors with 18 points on top of 11 rebounds and 5 assists off the bench. Fuller added 8 boards to his tally, while fellow starter Malonzo finished with a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double. Nocum also came off the bench again and sparked the Elasto Painters with 17 points on 8-for-13 shooting.
Phoenix import Marcellus Earlington had a solid 20-point outing on a 9-for-13 clip, with Mamuyac and Francis Escandor chipping in 16 apiece.
3 Keys to the Game
- Rebounding. Rain or Shine dominated the boards, 52-34, and corralled 15 offensive rebounds to Phoenix’s 7. That translated to a 21-3 advantage in second-chance points for the Elasto Painters.
- Bench play. The Elasto Painters’ bench mob came to play last night, pouring in 84 points compared to the 41 scored by the Phoenix second stringers. Rain or Shine’s bench was so good that five players scored in double figures, led by Clarito’s 18 and Nocum’s 17.
- Middle quarters. Rain or Shine turned the game around in the second quarter by outscoring Phoenix, 42-32. They all but sealed it with a 41-22 third quarter to take the fight out of the Fuel Masters.
Next Up for the PBA: Quarterfinals
Sunday, October 25, 2026 | Ynares Center Antipolo
NLEX Road Warriors vs. Phoenix Fuel Masters (5:15 p.m.)
Magnolia Hotshots vs. TNT Tropang 5G (7:30 p.m.)
