Felix Lemetti is an unknown in the Philippine basketball scene, but if he keeps on playing like this, it is only a matter of time before he becomes a household name. 

Lemetti led the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to a 73-64 victory over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, scoring 10 of his 13 points during a furious fourth-quarter rally at the Candon City Arena in Ilocos Sur.

The final period was a tale of two runs. Ginebra opened the quarter by extending their one-point lead to eight, 61-53, with 8:15 remaining, following a short jumper by Japeth Aguilar. The veteran squad seemed in control of the game, but Lemetti had other plans.

Over the last eight minutes of the contest, the gutsy Filipino-Swedish rookie showed that while the PBA community may not know him, he also knows absolutely nothing–or at the very least plays like it–about the players that he is going up against, allowing him to play in the most fearless way possible. He was not intimidated in any way or form by the aura of the Ginebra franchise, three-time PBA Best Import Justin Brownlee, 2021 PBA Most Valuable Player Scottie Thompson, or any of the opposing players. 

Lemetti attacked Ginebra’s defense with no hesitation, scoring back-to-back contested lay-ups in the fourth quarter. His first one was in transition, where he went right at Brownlee off a crossover for a right-handed shot. On the next possession, he used a pick-and-roll with import Aaron Fuller to score with his left hand against the 6’7 Isaac Go. 

The eighth overall pick of the 2024 PBA Draft later hit three of four free throws during a crucial stretch, allowing Rain or Shine to creep ahead of Ginebra, 65-64. Lemetti then intercepted a pass from Brownlee and raced up the court to find Jhonard Clarito for a layup that extended their lead to three, 67-64, with 3:34 left in the game.

Two minutes later, Lemetti capped the Elasto Painters’ game-clinching run with a three-pointer over the outstretched arms of Brownlee, giving Rain or Shine a 73-64 lead with 1:07 remaining in the fourth quarter—the final score of the game. It was the perfect way to cap off the win for Lemetti who vastly outplayed fellow rookie RJ Abarrientos who was drafted five slots ahead of him by Ginebra at third overall in this past draft. 

Rain or Shine finished on a remarkable 20-3 run over the last eight minutes. Known typically for their high-octane offense, it was the Elasto Painters’ defense that ultimately made the difference in this win against Ginebra. The Elasto Painters clamped down on Ginebra, whose last two points of the evening came when there was still 4:09 left on the game clock. This cutthroat defense fed into their offense and gave them the confidence that they needed to seal the win.

If head coach Yeng Guiao can consistently draw this level of defense from Rain or Shine, the team has the potential to become a dark horse contender in this conference. The interior presence of their import Fuller complements the Elasto Painters’ guard rotation that is now even deeper with the addition of Lemetti.

Although the 25-year-old guard is currently coming off the bench, it would not be surprising to see him continue to close out games for Rain or Shine moving forward. He and Andrei Caracut have the potential to form an explosive backcourt tandem as both are capable of creating shots for themselves and their teammates off the dribble.

The future looks promising for the Elasto Painters, especially with Lemetti on board. This franchise was the last independent team to win a PBA championship, claiming the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup, and if things go their way, they just might be the ones to end this run of domination of the league’s conglomerate-backed teams.