Barangay Ginebra and Rain or Shine Elastopainters did not merely advance to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals. They stormed into it.
Armed with twice-to-beat advantages and the pressure of avoiding dangerous knockout games, the Gin Kings and Elasto Painters delivered ruthless quarterfinal performances Friday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, setting up a fiery best-of-seven semifinal clash between two teams that looked sharp, hungry, and unwilling to waste their edge.
Second-seeded Ginebra crushed No. 7 Phoenix Super LPG, 112-81, in a lopsided rout that turned a competitive start into a merciless demolition. Earlier, third-ranked Rain or Shine leaned on a scorching shooting night from Andrei Caracut and a punishing perimeter barrage to oust No. 6 San Miguel Beer, 113-104.
Together, the victories created a semifinal matchup loaded with intrigue: Tim Cone’s battle-tested Gin Kings against Yeng Guiao’s fearless Elasto Painters, both coming off emphatic wins that sent a loud warning to the rest of the field.
Ginebra wasted little time seizing control against Phoenix. After a tight opening quarter, Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson ignited a 14-2 second-period explosion that gave the Gin Kings a 44-32 cushion. From there, the game quickly slipped away from the Fuel Masters–and many spectators slowly slipped out of the stadium.
The Gin Kings stretched the lead to 64-44 by halftime and remained relentless after the break, ballooning the gap to as many as 40 points, 101-61, early in the fourth quarter.
Brownlee led Ginebra with 24 points, five caroms, and five dimes before sitting out with hamstring issues in the third period. Thompson “Mr. Triple Double” again flirted with another triple-double, finishing with 16 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists in another all-around display of basketball excellence.
RJ Abarrientos also delivered 16 points, five rebounds, and five assists, while Stephen Holt added 11 markers for a Ginebra side that showed balance, discipline, and killer instinct.
“It’s a total team effort,” Thompson said.
“We didn’t want another game kasi mahirap na, it will be a 50-50 game and Phoenix is a tough team,” he added.
Ricci Rivero, returning from a hand injury, paced Phoenix with 15 points, but the Fuel Masters had no answer once Ginebra shifted into full assault mode. Phoenix fell short of reaching the semifinals for only the fourth time in franchise history and the first under coach Charles Tiu.
Rain or Shine, meanwhile, had to survive a more dramatic and explosive battle against a proud San Miguel side that refused to fade quietly.
Caracut erupted for a playoff career-high 29 points, drilling six three-pointers and a crucial four-point shot that highlighted the Elasto Painters’ decisive 9-0 run in the closing minutes. That surge turned a tense 101-97 lead into a commanding 11-point advantage with 2:35 left, effectively breaking the Beermen’s resistance.
“We just had a good night,” Guiao said.
“We felt na this is our best chance to get to the semifinals. We earned the twice-to-beat advantage, pero alam naming pag pinarating namin ng Sunday ito malamang sa malamang hindi na namin tatalunin ang San Miguel. So this is our best chance to beat San Miguel,” he added.
Caracut was not alone in the assault. Caelan Tiongson fired 23 points built on six triples while also taking on the tough defensive assignment against Bennie Boatwright. Import Jaylen Johnson added 23 points, 12 rebounds, and four triples as Rain or Shine buried 19 three-pointers and one four-point shot overall.
San Miguel briefly threatened in the third quarter behind a vicious 15-0 run that pushed the Beermen ahead, 83-80. But Rain or Shine answered with poise, refusing to be swallowed by the moment.
Boatwright still finished with 24 points, but he labored on a 10-of-27 shooting clip. CJay Perez added 19, Don Trollano had 14, while June Mar Fajardo posted 12 points and 12 rebounds for a Beermen team that struggled to keep pace from deep.
With San Miguel and Phoenix eliminated, the stage now belongs to Ginebra and Rain or Shine.
One team marched through its quarterfinal with brute force. The other survived a heavyweight shootout with nerve and fire. Their collision in the semifinals promises a tense, physical, and emotionally charged series between two sides that already look playoff-hardened.