The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters played fast and furious to notch a 116-109 victory over the Macau Black Knights on Saturday at the Ynares Center in Montalban. With the victory, Yeng Guiao’s squad opens the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on a positive note as they look to make up for their unceremonious exit from the last conference.
What Happened?
As they did against the Converge FiberXers, the Black Knights once again got off to a strong start, leading by as much as 12 points in the first half before taking a 58-52 lead to intermission. But led by import Jaylen Johnson, Rain or Shine flipped the script in the third quarter, outscoring Macau, 31-20, to take an 83-78 advantage to the final frame. The Elasto Painters kept up the pressure in the last 12 minutes en route to the win.
Who Stood Out?
Johnson promised he’d bring more grit to Rain or Shine, and he delivered so much more. The affable American finished with 29 points, 24 rebounds, 6 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block as he contributed in every way for Guiao. Adrian Nocum also had a solid outing, firing 19 points on top of 5 rebounds, 4 assists, and 4 steals.
Macau, meanwhile, drew good games from their trusted trio of Damian Chong Qui, Jenning Leung, and Patrick Shackelford, who all scored at least 20. Shackelford led the way with 25 to go along with 7 rebounds and 8 assists, while Chong Qui added 22 markers and 6 dimes. Leung had 20 points, 7 rebounds, 5 assists, and 4 steals.
3 Keys to the Game
- Rebounding. For a supposedly undersized squad, Rain or Shine did pretty well in the rebounding department on Saturday, outrebounding Macau, 69-46. The Elasto Painters were particularly prolific on the offensive glass as they grabbed 23 to the Black Knights’ 2. The result was a 20-2 advantage in second-chance points.
- Bench production. Only Gian Mamuyac scored in double figures coming off the bench for Guiao, but everyone chipped in nonetheless. This translated to a 37-27 advantage in bench points even as Shackelford fired 25 as Macau’s sixth man.
- Interior scoring. The Elasto Painters’ relentless attacking, led by Johnson’s post play and Nocum’s slashing, exposed Macau’s porous interior defense and allowed Rain or Shine to score 58 paint points as opposed to the Black Knights’ 42.
Next Up for the PBA
Sunday, March 15, 2026 | Ynares Center Montalban
Phoenix Fuel Masters vs. Titan Ultra Giant Risers (5:00 p.m.)
NLEX Road Warriors vs. Magnolia Hotshots (7:30 p.m.)
