The Converge FiberXers flipped the script on the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Tuesday, going off in the second half to secure a 105-89 rout in Game 3 of their PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals series at the City of Dasmariñas Arena. With the win, the FiberXers are now just a victory away from their first semis appearance in franchise history.
What Happened?
Game 3 unfolded much differently than Games 1 and 2. Unlike the first two games, Rain or Shine kept pace with Converge in the opening frame, with Mike Malonzo, Felix Lemetti, and Caelan Tiongson firing 8 apiece in a 32-all first quarter. The Elasto Painters and FiberXers continued to go point for point in the second, with Rain or Shine ultimately taking the lead just before halftime with a Malonzo layup, followed by a Justin Arana split from the charity stripe to make it 53-52 heading into halftime.
Rain or Shine then built its biggest lead of the game at eight, 64-56, on an Adrian Nocum four-pointer at the 8:11 mark. Converge responded with 12 unanswered points to retake the lead at 68-64 before outscoring the Elasto Painters, 14-7, to end the third and take an 82-75 lead into the final frame. Calvin Abueva next opened the fourth with a five-point cluster to give the FiberXers an 87-75 lead before unleashing a 14-4 run that made it 101-81 with just under four to go.
Who Stood Out?
Converge simply overwhelmed Rain or Shine in Game 3, with Juan Gomez de Liaño leading the way. The presumptive Rookie of the Year finished with a near triple-double, with 19 points, 13 rebounds, and 6 assists, while making long bombs that put the game away in the fourth. Abueva, meanwhile, was a spark yet again off the bench with 13 points and 10 boards, even as Justine Baltazar (15 points, 6 rebounds) and Arana (9 points, 12 rebounds) dominated the interior.
For Rain or Shine, Lemetti played arguably his best game in the Governors’ Cup with 18 points, 3 rebounds, and 2 assists. Nocum, on the other hand, filled the box score with 11 points, 11 rebounds, and 11 assists but had 7 turnovers.
3 Keys to the Game
- Turnovers. Rain or Shine’s second half mirrored the way it played in the first half of Game 1 as it committed turnover after turnover in crucial stretches. In all, the Elasto Painters had 17 miscues to only 10 for Converge. The FiberXers turned those errors into points, outscoring Rain or Shine, 20-7, in points off turnovers.
- Three-point shooting. Rain or Shine made more triples than Converge, 12 to 8, but it also shot a lot more, 40 to 22. The Elasto Painters also made 10 of those 12 in the first three quarters and then went 1-for-8 when Converge made its run in the fourth. The 12th triple was a meaningless one from Lemetti at the end of the game.
- Interior scoring. Converge attacked Rain or Shine in the paint relentlessly, with Arana, Baltazar, and Clark helping stake the former to a 48-32 advantage in points in the paint.
Next Up for the PBA: Quarterfinals
Friday, November 6, 2026 | Smart Araneta Coliseum
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. San Miguel Beermen (5:15 p.m.)
Converge FiberXers vs. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (7:30 p.m.)
