The Rain or Shine Elastopainters shook off the rust from their holiday break with a commanding 122-106 victory over the Blackwater Elite Bossings on Wednesday evening at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.
Deon Marshall Thompson led the charge with 25 points, powering the Elastopainters to their second consecutive win in the 49th Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup.
This victory, their first after the league’s extended Christmas-New Year break, helped ease the concerns of head coach Yeng Guiao, who worried about his team’s readiness after the three-week hiatus.
“My primary concern was how sharp these guys would be after such a long break,” Guiao admitted. “We started strong, but a bad second quarter cost us a 23-point lead.”
Despite the lapse, Adrian Nocum stepped up with a stellar 22-point performance, while Leonardo Santillan added 20 points. The Elastopainters held firm in the third quarter, with Nocum and Caelan Tiongson contributing nine points each to stretch their lead to 94-79 entering the fourth.
The win marked Rain or Shine’s fifth consecutive triumph, solidifying their hold on the second spot in the standings with a 5-1 record.
Meanwhile, George King’s 35-point explosion for Blackwater wasn’t enough to prevent the Bossings from suffering their third straight loss.
Looking ahead, the Elastopainters aim to extend their winning streak to six when they face Phoenix this Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. A win would strengthen their position for a quarterfinal berth in the Commissioner’s Cup.
