The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters’ promising PBA Commissioner’s Cup campaign drew to a close on Sunday here after they fell 118-107 before a big crowd at Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The high-stakes Game 6 showdown perfectly captured the essence of what has been a thrilling, action-packed semifinal series between these two iconic PBA franchises. While Barangay Ginebra San Miguel celebrated another ticket to the Finals, the Elasto Painters went down with their signature grit, leaving everything on the hardwood.
Long before the opening tip-off, PBA fans trooped to the Ynares Center in massive numbers, turning the Antipolo venue into a boiling pot of raw energy. The stadium was packed, split between the sea of red-clad, die-hard Ginebra faithful shouting “Never Say Die!” and a highly vocal contingent of Rain or Shine supporters hoping to force a winner-take-all Game 7.
Throughout the series, Rain or Shine proved to be a persistent thorn in Ginebra’s side, even stealing Game 1 in dramatic fashion. But in Game 6, experience and championship poise ultimately carried the Gin Kings over the finish line.
“I’m proud of what we’ve accomplished this conference,” Guiao said. “We made it all the way to the semifinals. We’ve lost a couple of players (Felix Lemetti and Luis Villegas) along the way, but we still put up a good fight against Ginebra Ginebra deserves to win the finals. They played with consistency in this series. They shot the ball well, especially from the three points. Justin Brownlee and RJ [Abarrientos] just carried them on their shoulders. We found it hard to really match up with those two guys” Guaio said.
Ginebra looked ready to blow the game wide open early, storming to a commanding 17-point lead in the third quarter behind a relentless attack led by resident import Justin Brownlee and dynamic rookie guard RJ Abarrientos.
True to the identity forged by head coach Yeng Guiao, the Elasto Painters refused to back down. Spearheaded by import Jaylen Johnson’s 27 points and Gian Mamuyac’s efficient 25-point explosion, Rain or Shine uncorked a furious second-half rally. They outscored Ginebra 40-33 in the third chapter, eventually chipping the deficit down to just eight points entering the final frame, and later within eight, 110-102, with less than three minutes remaining.
Ultimately, Ginebra’s star power halted the comeback. RJ Abarrientos (30 points) and Justin Brownlee (31 points, 15 rebounds) combined for over 60 points for the second consecutive game, while a clutch late three-pointer by Scottie Thompson slammed the door shut on the Elasto Painters’ resilient run.
With a young core that has tasted deep playoff warfare and proved they can go toe-to-toe with the league’s absolute best, the future remains incredibly bright for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
