The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters rallied from a 21-point deficit to stun the Converge FiberXers, 124-120, in Game 1 of their PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals series on Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
What Happened?
The FiberXers got going early, scoring the first seven points of Game 1 and establishing a double-digit lead, 18-8, at just past the halfway mark of the opening frame on the strength of Cameron Clark’s 7 points and Jonnel Policarpio’s 5. Rain or Shine then crawled back into it, cutting the lead to one, 18-17, thanks to seven straight points, six on back-to-back pull-up treys, by Adrian Nocum. But Converge reestablished control late in the first, with Calvin Abueva firing 12 big points off the bench in a 23-8 end to the first. The FiberXers then pushed the lead to 48-27 early in the second quarter and stayed mostly in control for the rest of the half to carry a 68-55 lead into intermission.
Rain or Shine, though, appeared to flip a switch after halftime, going off for a 30-13 run in the first six minutes of the third to turn that 68-55 deficit into an 85-81 lead thanks to treys from Nocum, Caelan Tiongson, and Deo Cuajao, who also made a four in that run. A Clark triple gave Converge back the lead and set up a give-and-take end to the third that Rain or Shine eventually won, 42-28, to take a 97-96 lead into the final frame. The Elasto Painters continued to pour it on in the fourth, this time with Aaron Fuller pushing his weight around en route to 11 points that helped keep the FiberXers at bay until the final buzzer.
Who Stood Out?
Adrian Nocum put on a superstar performance for Rain or Shine, firing 26 big points on a 9-for-12 clip and adding 5 rebounds, 9 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block. Aaron Fuller, meanwhile, was a pillar down low, tallying 33 points, including 11 in the fourth quarter, 14 rebounds, and 2 assists. The Elasto Painters also got a big lift from Deo Cuajao and Caelan Tiongson, whose on-point outside sniping sparked Rain or Shine’s third-quarter storm. Cuajao finished with 15 on three treys and a four, while Tiongson had 17, also on a trio of triples.
Cameron Clark and Calvin Abueva, on the other hand, powered Converge in Game 1, with Clark notching 28 markers on top of 8 rebounds and Abueva putting up 16 points and 6 caroms. Justin Arana also played well, contributing 21 points on 10-for-15 shooting.
3 Keys to the Game
- Three-point shooting. Rain or Shine outshot Converge from distance in Game 1, going 16-for-32 for a blistering 50% clip compared to the FiberXers’ 12-for-35 (34.3%). Crucially, the Elasto Painters made 10 of their 16 treys in the second half, while Converge made only 6.
- Bench. Converge’s second unit actually outscored Rain or Shine’s 54-49, but the latter’s impact in the second half was undeniable. Tiongson and Cuajao, in particular, led that third-quarter uprising with their long-range bombing, while Jhonard Clarito helped slow down Clark with his tenacious defense.
- Defense. After surrendering 41 points in the opening frame and 68 in the first half, Rain or Shine offered up more resistance in the second half, holding Converge to 52 points and 24 in the final quarter. Leading the way were Clarito and Mike Malonzo, who both made life hard on Clark in the final 24 minutes with their physical defense.
Next Up for the PBA: Quarterfinals
Wednesday, October 27, 2026 | Ynares Center Antipolo
TNT Tropang 5G vs. Magnolia Hotshots (5:15 p.m.)
NLEX Road Warriors vs. Phoenix Fuel Masters (7:30 p.m.)
