Rain or Shine came out guns blazing last Wednesday to force a 97-85 victory in Game 4 against Barangay Ginebra in an exciting display of team basketball and determination in their semifinals matchup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
As the series hit a 2-2 deadlock, the Elasto Painters proved that they could flip the situation against the heavy favourites and star-studded Gin Kings in a best-of-seven race.
ROS locals took over Game 4
The most obvious advantage employed by Rain or Shine in Game 4 is its balanced scoring from the local players.
Four Filipino players contributed double-digit points, namely Gian Mamuyac (12), Jhonard Clarito (11), Adrian Nocum (11), and Christian Manaytay (11).
Though import Jaylen Johnson still grabbed 13 points and 12 rebounds, his fifth foul could have lowered the Elasto Painters’ morale.
Instead, the ROS locals showed composure in the second half to maintain despite the Gin Kings outscoring them in the second half, 49-39.
Another bright spot for ROS was rookie Joshua David, who scored eight points, following his two threes.
While his score appeared negligible, he knocked down his shots during Ginebra’s scoring runs that allowed ROS to breathe momentarily and catch up in transition.
His output also negated a low-scoring night from Andrei Caracut, who grabbed a meager six markers. This was far cry from his five threes in Game 3.
Overall, 12 players, including Johnson, contributed points for Rain or Shine in Game 4.
It shows that ROS can still win games by a strong margin without relying on historic performance from a single player.
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Determined defense
While rough shooting may have doomed Ginebra’s performance in Game 4, some credit should still go to Rain or Shine’s defensive schemes against the Gin Kings’ premier players.
Putting big guards on RJ Abarrientos reaped rewards for Rain or Shine as the Best Player of the Conference candidate suffered a setback on both shooting attempts and accuracy.
Unlike his 17-point performance in Game 3, where Ginebra won 103-98, Abarrientos scored only eight points in 36 minutes of play.
From shooting 7-of-14 in Game 3, the FEU standout tallied only three-of-eight field goals last Wednesday.
Rain or Shine also forced Ginebra to commit 17 turnovers. Three miscues came from Abarrientos, and another three from Scottie Thompson. This was crucial as both players are considered the primary ball-handlers of the team.
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Ginebra’s second unit must produce more
Starpower doesn’t always guarantee wins, and this is particularly evident for Ginebra in Game 4.
In stark contrast to the E-Painters’ bench that produced a combined 49 points, their Ginebra counterparts settled for an atrocious 12-point production.
While it’s in the Gin Kings’ playstyle to rely on the likes of Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson to carry the scoring cudgels, this emphasis on the first unit proved to be Ginebra’s undoing as Rain or Shine took this as an opportunity to throw bodies on other players like Abarrientos.
Troy Rosario, who had 11 and nine points in Games 2 and 3, scored a woeful three points while racking up five fouls in Game 4. Rosario’s reduced presence inside the paint allowed ROS to attack the basket freely.
While ROS makes it more unpredictable by sharing the scoring load among its players, Ginebra was traversing an opposite route, making the Gin Kings easier to control in Game 4.
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Shameeka Voyiya 
Newsjustnews writers 
Mary Mae Balasanos