Barangay Ginebra San Miguel got back at the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Friday, holding off the upstarts for a 109-101 victory at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. The win levels their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals series at one game apiece.
What Happened?
Ginebra played like a team down a game off the bat, tightening up on defense, controlling the pace, and executing beautifully to take a 33-20 lead after the opening frame. The barangay continued to dictate the pace in the second, raining down threes on the Elasto Painters en route to a 29-20 second quarter and a commanding 62-40 cushion.
Ginebra’s offense continued clicking in the third quarter, only this time, Rain or Shine got untracked on that end, too, to keep in step with the crowd favorites, 29-26. But the No. 2 seed remained largely in control and entered the fourth ahead, 88-69.
Ginebra looked poised to cruise to the Game 2 win as it still held a 98-78 lead at the halfway mark of the final frame. But the Elasto Painters didn’t fold, unleashing a torrid 19-3 blitz to get within 101-97 after a Jaylen Johnson triple at the 1:37 mark. Two pressure-packed freebies from Scottie Thompson restored some order and helped the Gin Kings pull through in the end.
Who Stood Out?
The Big Three of Justin Brownlee, Scottie Thompson, and RJ Abarrientos continued to lead the barangay, with JB dropping a game-high 31 points on top of 15 rebounds and 8 assists. Abarrientos fired 25 with 6 assists, while the former MVP had 15 points, 6 rebounds, and 6 assists. Ginebra also got a big spark from Japeth Aguilar, who bounced back from a putrid Game 1 with a 14-point, 12-rebound double-double.
Over at the other end, the same guys who carried the fight for Rain or Shine in Game 1 came to play. The best of them were Jhonard Clarito, Gian Mamuyac, and Adrian Nocum, who all sparked the Elasto Painters’ fourth-quarter rally. Nocum topscored for Rain or Shine, while Clarito tallied 19 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 blocks. Mamuyac, meanwhile, notched 18 off the bench.
3 Keys to the Game
- Three-point shooting. In Game 1, both teams shot lights out from the arc. In Game 2, it was only Ginebra who shot well from distance, converting 13 of their 32 three-point tries for a 40.6% clip. Rain or Shine, on the other hand, went just 10-for-41, or 24.4% from deep.
- Execution. Part of why Ginebra shot so well in Game 2 was their solid execution, which resulted in the crowd darlings notching 27 assists to Rain or Shine’s 17.
- Breaks of the game. In the end, the Elasto Painters’ furious rally nearly allowed them to steal a game Ginebra had been dominating. But lack of time and a few botched open shots down the stretch proved to be Rain or Shine’s undoing.
Next Up for the PBA
Sunday, May 24, 2026 | SM Mall of Asia Arena
TNT Tropang 5G vs. Meralco Bolts (5:15 p.m.)
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (7:30 p.m.)
