Barangay Ginebra San Miguel took it to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Friday, fashioning out a 111-104 victory at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to take a 3-2 lead in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semis series. Like the TNT Tropang 5G, the Gin Kings can book a return to the Finals on Sunday.
What Happened?
Ginebra waxed hot from deep early, nailing five triples and two four‑pointers—both from Justin Brownlee—to take a 31-26 first‑quarter lead against an equally hot, Adrian Nocum‑powered Rain or Shine squad. The crowd darlings cooled down a bit in the second, but so did the Elasto Painters, who scored just 18 points to Ginebra’s 25.
With Rain or Shine down, 58-44, to start the second half, Yeng Guiao turned to Nocum once more, and he responded by scoring 15 of the Elasto Painters’ 20 points in the first eight minutes of the third to bring Rain or Shine to within 67-64. But Ginebra ended the third with a flourish, outscoring Nocum and company, 12-7, to take an 83-71 lead to the final frame. Tim Cone’s wards then held firm in the last canto, refusing to give the Elasto Painters any headway and keeping the lead in double figures until the final minute.
Who Stood Out?
The two‑headed monster of Justin Brownlee and RJ Abarrientos did much of the heavy lifting for the crowd darlings. Brownlee and Abarrientos shot an identical 12‑for‑21 clip from the field, with JB finishing with a game‑high 32 points on top of 6 rebounds, 6 assists, 4 steals, and 2 blocks. Abarrientos added 4 rebounds, 8 assists, and 2 steals to his name. Troy Rosario also came alive with a 16‑point, 7‑rebound outing.
For Rain or Shine, Nocum came out firing and finished with a conference‑high 25 points spiked by a trio of triples. He also sparked the Elasto Painters twice—once in the tail end of the first quarter and then in the third. Jhonard Clarito, meanwhile, snapped out of a mini‑funk, putting up a 20‑point, 10‑rebound effort.
3 Keys to the Game
- Hot start. Rain or Shine set the tone in Game 4 with their physicality and energy to begin the game. In Game 5, Ginebra charted the course of the match with some early hot shooting and on‑point execution.
- Three‑point shooting. Cone may have reluctantly accepted the three‑ball as a major weapon, but it can’t be denied that Ginebra is hard to beat when the long ball is falling. That was the case in Game 5, with Abarrientos and company converting on 16 of their 39 attempts from the arc. Brownlee even added a pair of four‑pointers for good measure. In contrast, Rain or Shine, which also relies heavily on three‑point shooting, was just 10‑for‑33.
- Composure. The Elasto Painters made their run in the third and began imposing their physicality. And, for a moment, it looked like the Gin Kings would falter. They didn’t; instead, they stepped back, got their bearings, and reasserted control. By the fourth, Rain or Shine tried turning up the physical play, but Ginebra didn’t back down or get carried away on their way to victory.
Next Up for the PBA
Sunday, May 31, 2026 | Ynares Center Antipolo
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (5:15 p.m.)
TNT Tropang 5G vs. Meralco Bolts (7:30 p.m.)
