Rain or Shine bounces back, keeps Phoenix winless

Rain or Shine swiftly regained its momentum in the PBA Governors Cup, securing a commanding 122-107 victory over Phoenix on Tuesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

In a thrilling fourth quarter, Gian Mamuyac and Adrian Nocum injected vital energy into the Elasto Painters’ performance before import Aaron Fuller joined the action, contributing significantly to the team’s fifth win in six games following a heartbreaking loss to San Miguel.

Mamuyac buried back-to-back three-pointers, Nocum executed a crucial three-point play, and Fuller also drained a shot from beyond the arc, igniting a 16-4 surge that transformed a narrow four-point edge for Rain or Shine into a commanding 117-101 lead as the game entered its final moments.

Meanwhile, Phoenix continued to struggle, remaining winless in six outings.

Head coach Yeng Guiao downplayed the victory, noting that Phoenix has yet to reach its full potential.

Phoenix’s import, Brandone Francis, showcased his scoring prowess in the first half, exploding for 19 points in the opening quarter and adding seven more in the third, helping the Fuel Masters close the gap to 87-85 as they entered the final quarter.

However, Francis, a former member of the Dominican Republic national team, appeared to tire in the fourth quarter, allowing Rain or Shine to capitalize on the opportunity to attack the Fuel Masters with contributions from Mamuyac, Fuller, Nocum, and Jhonard Clarito.

Nocum led the scoring for Rain or Shine with 16 points and achieved a career-high 10 rebounds for his first double-double in the league. Fuller also registered a double-double, finishing with 16 points and 11 rebounds, while Mamuyac added 14 points on an efficient 3-of-6 shooting from three-point territory. The Elasto Painters also benefited from double-digit contributions from Anton Asistio (13), Andrei Caracut (12), rookies Caelan Tiongson and Felix Pangilinan-Lemetti (12 each), and Jhonard Clarito (10).

For Phoenix, Jason Perkins had a strong performance, recording 22 points and 10 rebounds, though it ultimately was not enough to secure a win.