Gian Mamuyac earned a measure of redemption in Game 5, leading the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to a 113-97 blowout of the TNT Tropang 5G to stay alive in their 2024–25 PBA Philippine Cup semis faceoff.
Of course, Game 5 probably wouldn’t have been a win-or-go-home proposition for Rain or Shine had Mamuyac himself kept his wits about him and didn’t foul Calvin Oftana taking a trey (which really should’ve been a four) with the Elasto Painters up, 99-96, with seven seconds left in Game 2. Oftana sank all three of his freebies before Mamuyac muffed a wide-open triple for the win. Rain or Shine never recovered as the Tropa flashed their championship pedigree to secure a 2-0 lead.
It was a cruel sequence for a young player to say the least—and it was one that could’ve broken the 26-year-old sophomore.
Only it didn’t. Gian Mamuyac didn’t break.
That’s in part a credit to Mamuyac’s resiliency and strong will. But apparently, it is also a credit to the Rain or Shine organization, who stuck with their reed-thin point guard even as he cost them what would’ve been a huge Game 2 win. That support, according to the former Ateneo Blue Eagle after Game 5, was crucial in helping him move on from that disastrous endgame in Game 2.
“Lahat naman ng buong team namin, buong organization, after that play, lahat sumuporta naman sa ‘kin,” said Mamuyac, who downplayed his timely redemption arc in Game 5. “Pinadali rin na kalimutan and mag-move on, kasi sabi nga nila, series naman ‘to, first to four. ‘Yun, buong suporta naman ng team nandun, so napadali naman ‘yung pag-move on.”
It didn’t look that way in Game 4, when Mamuyac scored just 7 points in 17 largely ineffective minutes in another Rain or Shine loss. But things certainly turned around for him and the Elasto Painters in Game 5.
Gian Mamuyac Opens Game 5, Matches Calvin Oftana Point for Point
In Game 5, Gian Mamuyac looked like a different beast. He opened the scoring with a lay-in, then matched TNT scoring machine Calvin Oftana practically point for point in a tight first half. In all, Mamuyac fired 16 of his 22 points in the first quarter alone to stake Rain or Shine to an early 28-24 lead—one the Elasto Painters never surrendered anymore.
But, again, Gian Mamuyac downplayed his Game 5 explosion, instead crediting Yeng Guiao’s free-flowing, anyone-can-shoot system.
“Sa system naman kasi namin, sa system ni Coach Yeng, anyone can have a night like this. ‘Yun din kagandahan ng team namin. Any given night, hindi mo alam sino magiging katabi ni Coach Yeng dito [winners’ press conference] pag nanalo kami. It just so happened na tonight it was me…,” Mamuyac pointed out.
Despite the win, Rain or Shine still trails TNT 3-2 in their series. But for one game at least, Gian Mamuyac earned a measure of redemption. It just might be the confidence boost he and Rain or Shine needs to pull of what is essentially Mission Impossible.
