The 2024-2025 Honda PBA Commissioner’s Cup has been a rollercoaster for the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. 

A 5-1 start to the Elasto Painters’ campaign put them in a strong position for the postseason, but four losses in their next six games turned what was once a shot at the top seed into a fortunate sixth place finish. 

The uneven conference did not end in the preliminary round as the Converge FiberXers took the opening game of their best-of-three quarterfinal series with a rousing come-from-behind victory.  One would think that experience should be an advantage in this series given the Rain or Shine’s veteran lineup, but it turns out, even youth was what prevailed even for them. 

Adrian Nocum was instrumental in the Elasto Painters’ bid to extend the series to a deciding Game 3 with a strong showing in Game 2. It wasn’t a one-time thing, though, as the 25-year old pulled off another solid performance that validated Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao’s high praise for his one-of-a-kind player. 

Advancing to the next round is great, but the Elasto Painters understand that the battle with the TNT Tropang Giga will be a completely different ballgame. The Tropang Giga are a well-coached team (and a head coach not afraid to flaunt it) led by stars Calvin Oftana, Jayson Castro, Rey Nambatac, and former NBA player Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. 

Rain or Shine made the postseason thanks to their preliminary round finale victory over TNT. Apart from Deon Thompson, it was a different cast of characters that gave the Elasto Painters the win, but 3-point shooting and relentless energy were the main constants. 

It’s been said that hard work beats talent when talent fails to work hard, and so when Rain or Shine can exhibit their prowess while going all out with their effort, good things happen. Unlike other marquee franchises, stars are not what drive the Elasto Painters; good plays from good players are what earn them wins. 

However, things are different come playoff time. Experience becomes all the more important, especially for those who are accustomed to postseason success. Rain or Shine is an experienced team on paper, but they more often than not see their playoff campaigns end in a series or two. They’ll need to work on getting over the proverbial hump and that starts with sticking with their roots, which has been to fight despite the odds against them.  

Thanks to the FIBA international break, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters will have more than two weeks to prepare for what will be a gruelling semifinal series. Making the right play is the obvious approach here, but they can’t lose sight of what got them to this point: taking the fight to their opponents, who thus far have been unable to outlast the gutsy effort the Elasto Painters have brought in each game.