Rain or Shine rallies to edge Meralco 85-83 in PBA Governors' Cup thriller
AI-assisted original article by 1news, based on reporting from GMA News Online. Featured image credited to the source.
Rain or Shine secured its fourth consecutive victory in the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup by narrowly defeating Meralco 85-83 on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Elasto Painters overcame a seven-point deficit in the final quarter to complete a 13-3 run that sealed the win and improved their Group B record to 4-2 after an initial two-game losing streak. Meralco, on the other hand, suffered its third straight loss, falling to 2-4 in the standings.
The game featured a tense finish as Rain or Shine trailed 72-79 early in the fourth quarter but then held Meralco scoreless for four minutes. Aaron Fuller led the charge for the Elasto Painters, contributing 25 points along with 13 rebounds, two steals, and an assist. Rookie Deo Cuajao added 12 points and four rebounds in a starting role, while Jhonard Clarito and Caelan Tiongson each chipped in 11 points.
Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao described the team's performance as one of their worst games but credited their resilience in the closing moments for the victory. He noted the team's poor free-throw shooting, missing 15 attempts, including two late free throws that could have clinched the game earlier. However, a missed free throw by Meralco's Bong Quinto helped Rain or Shine escape with the win.
The pivotal moments unfolded after Meralco's Javee Mocon drained a three-pointer to extend the Bolts' lead to 79-72. Rain or Shine responded with a 9-2 run sparked by Fuller and Luis Villegas, tying the game at 81-all with 2:43 remaining. Clarito then drove through the defense for a go-ahead layup, but Cliff Hodge quickly answered for Meralco, restoring the tie.
Villegas secured a rebound following consecutive misses by Chris Newsome, setting up Adrian Nocum to assist Fuller for a crucial layup that put Rain or Shine ahead 85-83 with just under 40 seconds left. Villegas also made a key block on Antonio Hester to deny Meralco a chance to regain the lead.
In the final seconds, Nocum committed a foul on Quinto, giving Meralco an opportunity to tie the game at the free-throw line. Quinto missed both attempts, marking his first missed free throws of the conference, which allowed Rain or Shine to hold on for the narrow victory.
The final quarter scores reflected the intense back-and-forth battle, with Rain or Shine outscoring Meralco 17-8 in the last five minutes. The quarter-by-quarter breakdown was 25-18, 48-47, 68-75, and 85-83 in favor of Rain or Shine.
Rain or Shine's lineup featured Fuller (25 points), Cuajao (12), Tiongson (11), Clarito (11), Asistio (7), Nocum (6), Manaytay (5), Villegas (5), Malonzo (2), and Caracut (1). Meralco's top contributors were Newsome (16 points), Hester (15), Mocon (14), Hodge (14), Black (7), Quinto (6), Maliksi (6), Banchero (2), Rios (2), and Bates (1).