By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Rain or Shine Elastopainters staged the biggest comeback of the ongoing PBA Governor’s Cup so far after erasing a 21-point deficit to stun the NLEX Road Warriors, 124-105, on August 28, 2024, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
After a disappointing outing in the first 12 minutes of action that allowed the Road Warriors to build an early double-digit lead, Rain or Shine stepped on the gas pedal in the second frame and banked on its signature defensive pressure that steered them to a comeback.
From being down by 21 points, Rain or Shine shocked the Road Warriors in the final nine minutes of the quarter as they capped off the first half with a 34-14 scoring avalanche, officially putting themselves back in control of the ball game.
It all started with the energy that Gian Mamuyac deployed, going hard on the defensive end, picking pockets while drawing offensive charges that set the tone for Rain or Shine.
Picking up where Mamuyac left off was Jhonard Clarito who manhandled the NLEX defenders every time he went strong to the basket.
With only four minutes remaining in the second, Anton Asistio gave Rain or Shine their first taste of the lead after knocking down a huge three-pointer.
From that sequence, the whole NLEX squad was deflated and allowed the Elastopainters to run their usual offensive sets at the post for their imposing import Aaron Fuller.
It was all Rain or Shine in the second half as they even took a 19-point lead in the third, courtesy of the waxing hot Clarito who was also in the zone shooting from the perimeter.
Robert Bolick and NLEX import Myke Henry tried all that they could in the fourth quarter, helping the Road Warriors inch close to as much as six points but another Rain or Shine counterattack ballooned the advantage to 15 points.
Clarito stole the limelight during Rain or Shine’s comeback win, wrapping up the victory with a perfect 9/9 shooting from the field and tallied 24 points, five steals, four assists, and three rebounds.
Meanwhile, Mamuyac was also efficient for the Elastopainters and contributed 22 points. Fuller on the other hand had another double-double outing of 21 points and 20 boards.
With another victory, Rain or Shine just extended its undefeated streak in the import-laced conference to three straight wins and will have the chance to maintain their untainted reputation on August 30, 2024, as they face the Phoenix Fuel Masters.
