ANTIPOLO — Rain or Shine will begin the process of moving on after parting ways with a vital cog as it tries to barge into the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup win column against Meralco later tonight at the Ynares Center here.
The Elasto Painters absorbed a 131-108 beating at the hands of Blackwater in their conference debut exactly a week ago, but their return to action won’t only be about getting that first win, but also about showing that everything will still be fine.
In case you missed it, one of the league’s few legitimate independent ball clubs has traded two-way specialist Gian Mamuyac to Phoenix for a future first-round pick, as the two camps could not meet halfway for a new contract.
The news, needless to say, sent shockwaves across the league, as the former Ateneo de Manila University winger had become a key piece in the identity Rain or Shine has been building since coach Yeng Guiao returned in 2022.
In just the recent Commissioner’s Cup, ‘Mamu’ averaged 13.1 points, 3.4 rebounds, 3.1 assists, and 1.2 steals per game to help the team book another trip to the semifinals, where they bowed to eventual champions Ginebra.
Now, he continues his career with another team, while the Elasto Painters will try to find somebody who could fill the role left by the ex-captain.
And while they’re in that process, Rain or Shine is out to get a win, firstly against a Bolts side that’s expected to parade the seasoned Antonio Hester.
The Elasto Painters are a +3.0 underdog, according to Casino Plus sportsbook, as of 1:30 p.m. The over/under is set at 223.5.
Bets can be made here: https://www.casinoplus.com.ph/home/inGame?name=Basketball&title=SportBet.
Formerly of Terrafirma and Magnolia, the Miami-native was brought in as a substitute for Jordon Varnado, who’s listed day-to-day due to a calf injury.
He got hurt during one of their practices leading up to the conference, forcing Meralco to play all-Filipino against Phoenix in their debut. They did manage to compete all the way to the end, but ultimately fell to a 98-97 decision.
Game time of the Group B tiff is scheduled at 7:30 p.m., right after the double-header opener featuring Group A sides San Miguel and Terrafirma at 5:15.
The Beermen are looking to follow up their 123-109 win over Macau for a strong start, which they did despite missing Coach Leo Austria and June Mar Fajardo.
San Miguel enters the game as a whopping -11.5 favorite while the over/under is set at 222.0, according to Casino Plus sportsbook.
That game also marked Jerrick Ahanmisi’s debut for his new team, and he immediately showed glimpses of what he can bring to the traditional powerhouse, finishing with 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists in 38 minutes.
Now, in just his second game with San Miguel Beer, the sharpshooting guard will face his former team, Terrafirma, for the first time since the perennial cellar-dwellers traded him and Paolo Hernandez to the Beermen in exchange for Juami Tiongson and Chris Miller.
They will be battling a team that hopes to end a two-game slide after falling just short in coming from behind to win against NLEX and Converge. 
