MANILA — Rain or Shine Elasto Painters kept their flawless run intact, fending off a late-game scare from Terrafirma Dyip, 124-117, to remain unbeaten at 7–0 in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup Wednesday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Anton Asistio caught fire early and set the tone for the Elasto Painters, finishing with 18 points — 15 of them in the second quarter — as Rain or Shine unleashed a barrage of 22 three-pointers to dismantle Terrafirma’s defense and seize control of the contest.
“Of course we take a lot of pride on that (three-point shooting),” Asistio said in a post-game interview. “I also want to give credit to my teammates kasi hinahanap talaga nila ako.”
Import Jaylen Johnson delivered an all-around performance with a triple-double of 18 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists, while rookie Jun Roque added 15 points. Adrian Nocum and Gian Mamuyac chipped in 13 and 10 markers, respectively, as Rain or Shine showcased its depth and offensive balance.
The Elasto Painters appeared headed for a rout after building a commanding 26-point lead, but the Dyip mounted a furious fourth-quarter rally, cutting the deficit to just seven after head coach Yeng Guiao fielded a rookie-heavy lineup.
Rain or Shine, however, regained composure in the closing minutes, leaning on inside baskets from Mamuyac and Roque and a clutch triple from rookie Deo Cuajao to restore a safe margin and secure the win.
“We just want to give them some live game minutes para tumibay,” Guiao remarked on his decision to use his rookies in the fourth quarter. “It’s a gamble but it’s for the future.”
Ali Mubashar led Terrafirma with a game-high 32 points, while Jerrick Ahanmisi added 21. Brent Paraiso, Joseph Eriobu, and JM Bravo contributed 19, 16, and 10 points, respectively, as the Dyip dropped to a 3-4 record.
In the earlier game, Converge FiberXers snapped a five-game skid with a dominant 103-82 victory over the Titan Ultra Giant Risers.
Justin Arana led Converge with 19 points on an efficient 9-of-11 shooting clip, while rookie Juan Gomez de Liaño added 15 markers. Calvin Abueva contributed 14 points, and Kylor Kelley posted a double-double of 10 points and 14 rebounds as the FiberXers improved to 2-5./PN
