Elasto Painters Extend Streak, Celebrate Norwood’s Jersey Retirement with Victory

Rain or Shine turned Gabe Norwood’s milestone night into a statement win, defeating Converge 120-111 to extend their unbeaten streak to six games in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.

The Elasto Painters honored the 41-year-old veteran by retiring his No. 5 jersey during halftime. The emotional ceremony seemed to spark Rain or Shine, as they came out in the second half with renewed energy, staying at the top of the standings with a dominant performance.

Leading 55-48 at halftime, the Elasto Painters exploded for a 34-point third quarter, increasing their lead to 95-75 heading into the final period.

Converge mounted a late push, narrowing the gap to just two points with Juan Gomez de Liano's field goal under three minutes remaining, but Rain or Shine held firm. Key plays from Caelan Tiongson at the free-throw line and clutch three-pointers from Jaylen Johnson, including one with 20.9 seconds left, sealed the win.

Head coach Yeng Guiao acknowledged the added motivation from the special occasion.

“We really wanted this one for Gabe. We didn’t want to disappoint him on his jersey retirement night,” said Guiao. “Gabe is happiest when the team plays well. This is our way of honoring his legacy.”

Johnson led the way with an incredible all-around performance, posting 35 points, 21 rebounds, three assists, one steal, and two blocks, with the final eight points of the game.

Gian Mamuyac added 21 points on efficient shooting, while Tiongson contributed 14 points. Andrei Caracut chipped in 12 points, half of them from beyond the arc, and Felix Lemetti had 10 points.

Despite the win, Guiao remained cautious about their hot streak.

“The luck is still there. One of these nights, we might not survive a rally like this, but while the momentum’s in our favor, we’ll take it. A win is a win,” he said.

The victory moves Rain or Shine closer to a quarterfinal berth as they look ahead to matchups against Terrafirma on April 15, Phoenix on April 21, and Magnolia on April 25.

For Converge, Alec Stockton led with 17 points, but the FiberXers suffered a fifth consecutive loss after opening the conference with a win over Macau.

Mikey Williams posted 16 points and 10 assists in his first double-double since returning to the league, while Kylor Kelley also finished with 16 points and 16 rebounds. Justin Arana added 16 points in the defeat.

Converge will aim to end their losing streak when they face Titan Ultra on April 15 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.