Rain or Shine Elasto Painters earned their first victory of the 2024–25 PBA Commissioner’s Cup, defeating guest team Hong Kong Eastern 99–81 on December 4 at Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The win improved their record to 1–1 after an opening loss to Meralco, while handing Eastern their first defeat following a 2–0 start.
Rain or Shine jumped ahead early with a 24–18 first-quarter lead and carried a 43–34 halftime advantage into the break. Eastern pulled within six at 70–64 after three quarters, but the Elasto Painters dominated the fourth, outscoring the visitors 29–17 to pull away comfortably.
Deon Thompson made his presence felt right away in his PBA debut, finishing with 21 points and 15 rebounds alongside three steals and two blocks. His control of the paint on both ends gave Rain or Shine stability and limited Eastern’s second-chance points during key moments.
Santi Santillan paced the locals with 18 points and five rebounds, providing the scoring punch that kept the offense flowing smoothly. Keith Datu and Caelan Tiongson chipped in 10 points apiece, while Adrian Nocum added eight—all in the pivotal third quarter—to help build the separation.
Veteran Beau Belga reached a career milestone with his five points, becoming the 98th player in PBA history to top 5,000 career points. The achievement underscored the team’s mix of experience and new energy as they find their rhythm.
Cameron Clark led Eastern with 30 points and 12 rebounds, but the team struggled without key guard Glen Yang, sidelined by passport issues. Their offense faltered against Rain or Shine’s pressure, especially after halftime.
Quarter scores: 24–18, 43–34, 70–64, 99–81
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