Elasto Painters Even Series After Stopping Gin Kings

Rain or Shine stayed in the hunt for a finals berth after defeating Barangay Ginebra, 97-85, to level their Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series at 2-2 on Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Facing the prospect of falling behind further in the series, the Elasto Painters responded with urgency, taking control from the second quarter onward and holding off repeated comeback attempts by the Gin Kings in the second half.

The win turned the race-to-four semifinal matchup into a virtual best-of-three series heading into the crucial Game 5.

“Ito lang naman gusto namin, pahabain ang series. The longer the series, I feel like we have a chance — chance lang naman,” said Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao.

Import Jaylen Johnson battled through foul trouble but still contributed 13 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists in only 26 minutes of action.

Rain or Shine’s locals stepped up in a big way, with team captain Gian Mamuyac scoring 12 points, highlighted by two triples, while rookie Christian Manaytay added 11 points to earn Player of the Game honors.

Adrian Nocum and Jhonard Clarito also chipped in 11 points apiece as the Elasto Painters showcased balanced scoring and depth throughout the lineup.

Defense anchored Rain or Shine’s victory, as the team successfully disrupted Ginebra’s offensive flow for most of the game.

Justin Brownlee still finished with 27 points and 10 rebounds, but the Elasto Painters forced the resident import into a difficult 9-of-20 shooting performance. Rookie of the Year RJ

Abarrientos also struggled offensively, scoring just eight points while failing to find his range from beyond the arc.

Scottie Thompson led Ginebra’s local contingent with 20 points, though he was limited to just two rebounds and three assists. Japeth Aguilar added a double-double with 10 points and 10 rebounds.

“I think it’s a team effort. As you can see, it was our game plan to contain Justin and RJ, and that’s been our job,” Manaytay said.