RAIN or Shine lived up to its gritty reputation, clawing back from the brink before outlasting Meralco Bolts, 96-95, in overtime in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup Saturday night, Oct. 11, 2025, at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
The Elasto Painters refused to fold despite losing control late in regulation, storming back with a 10-1 run capped by Gabe Norwood’s clutch tip-in that forced the extension at 90-all.
From there, ROS held its nerve. Mike Malonzo and Andrei Caracut opened overtime with back-to-back hits, setting the tone for a hard-earned victory in their season debut while dropping the Bolts to a tough 0-2 start.
Caelan Tiongson led the fightback with a double-double of 23 points and 10 rebounds, highlighted by a rare four-point play that pulled Rain or Shine within striking distance, 88-89, with 17 seconds left in regulation.
Meralco still had a chance to close it out, but a split from the stripe by Chris Newsome in the final seconds gave ROS one last gasp. Adrian Nocum missed twice, but Norwood’s timely tip saved the day and ignited the comeback.
Norwood, Keith Datu, Nocum, and Caracut all scored in double figures to complement Tiongson’s all-around effort. New recruit Stanley Pringle, meanwhile, sat out the contest.
Bong Quinto and CJ Cansino paced the Bolts with 18 points each, while Newsome and Raymond Almazan added 12 apiece. But Meralco’s missed free throws — 18-of-30 — ultimately proved costly in a game they could have put away at the line.
In the other game, Juan Gomez de Liano wasted no time proving he belongs, leading Converge’s opening-day demolition of Titan Ultra, 129-92.
The flashy guard became the first rookie in league history to notch a triple-double in his debut, tallying 15 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists in a performance that showcased his all-around brilliance and court poise.
Justin Arana dominated inside with a monster 20-20 effort, while Justine Baltazar added his own double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds as the FiberXers lived up to their preseason hype with a wire-to-wire rout.
Schonny Winston and Kevin Racal chipped in 12 points apiece, giving Converge multiple weapons in its balanced attack that overwhelmed the overmatched Titan Ultra squad. / RSC