It was about breaking patterns in Game 5s of the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals. Rain or Shine finally won a second game in a semifinal series against TNT this season with a 113-97 victory. Meanwhile, San Miguel got their first back-to-back wins of the series with a 103-92 victory over Ginebra.
Let's check out how Rain or Shine was able to play their own style and defend TNT while San Miguel found the holes in Ginebra's defense.
Rain or Shine's on point help defense extends the series
TNT entered Game 5 severely shorthanded, missing key personnel across the board. Jayson Castro and Rey Nambatac are out for the season while RR Pogoy and Kelly Williams also sat out due to injuries. Even head coach Chot Reyes was unavailable after accumulating five technical fouls in the conference. To make matters more difficult, Jordan Heading and Calvin Oftana also played through limitations.
Sensing blood in the water, Rain or Shine wasted no time capitalizing and targeted TNT's weakened lineup by applying pressure on both ends.
Rain or Shine's response came in the form of a sharp and deliberate third quarter, and finally addressed TNT's tendency to exploit mismatches throughout the series. Their adjustment? They had sharper timing on help defense --bringing it at the right moment without completely compromising their rotations. The result was telling: 19 TNT turnovers, many of which became fuel for Rain or Shine's high-octane transition game.
Those turnovers proved costly. Rain or Shine racked up a staggering 28 points off turnovers and 19 fastbreak points, punishing TNT before they could even get their defense set. Jhonard Clarito thrived in this up-tempo style, turning in a brilliant all-around effort with 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists on a blistering 96.2 TS%.
In the half court, Rain or Shine leaned heavily on the tandem of Gian Mamuyac and Andrei Caracut to create offense. Mamuyac came out firing, scoring 16 of his 22 points in the first quarter by attacking the paint and pulling up inside the free-throw area. Caracut's stat line of 11 points on 61.9 TS% doesn't tell the full story, as his playmaking and ability to break down the defense through pick-and-rolls opened up looks for others, including Keith Datu, who chipped in with 11 of his own.
On the flip side, TNT's offense stagnated. Without their usual creators, they settled into a heavy diet of isolation plays that failed to put Rain or Shine's defense under real stress. Calvin Oftana did his best to carry the scoring load, relying on tough shot-making en route to 23 points on 66.4 TS%. With Pogoy's return a possibility for Game 6, TNT might look to capitalize more on Simon Enciso, who had a strong outing with 20 points and hit 4-of-8 from beyond the arc -- possibly a key spacing option if TNT's stars start drawing more defensive focus through their regular drive and kick game.
Cruz's scoring punch lifts San Miguel
This series has been a classic back-and-forth chess match, with each side countering the other's moves. Heading into Game 5, the script suggested it was Ginebra's turn to respond after getting outclassed in Game 4. Early on, they looked the part.
Ginebra set the tone with relentless hustle and defense and limited San Miguel to just 12 first-quarter points. June Mar Fajardo was a non-factor, attempting only one shot in his early minutes as Ginebra's defense swarmed the post and pushed San Miguel into isolation-heavy sets, particularly forcing CJ Perez into tough, contested shots.
But San Miguel eventually found their pressure point when Ginebra tried to mix things up with a 2-3 zone in the second quarter. While the scheme effectively funneled the ball away from Fajardo, it left exploitable gaps for slashers. Jericho Cruz took full advantage. With downhill attacks and confident shot-making, Cruz led a furious rally that erased a 14-point deficit and gave the team a five-point halftime lead.
Cruz delivered his best performance of the conference, exploding for 27 points on an excellent 98.1 TS%. He carried that momentum into the second half, where he continued to torch defenders -- even on tightly contested looks -- while bringing the same energy on the defensive end. His four steals and relentless on-ball pressure helped stifle Ginebra's backcourt rhythm.
Down the stretch, San Miguel ensured their offense revolved around their cornerstone, feeding Fajardo in the post and letting him dissect the defense. The eight-time MVP responded with 14 points, 12 rebounds, and a game-high plus-18 rating. But what stood out most were his six assists, many of them leading directly to clean looks for Don Trollano and Perez. The offensive flow took pressure off Perez to create and allowed him to thrive as a finisher. He poured in 31 points, three rebounds, and three assists on a strong 65.6 TS%, benefiting from early offense and simplified reads.
With back-to-back wins, San Miguel has seized control of the series and flipped the pressure back on Ginebra. That said, the Gin Kings still have bright spots to build on. Mav Ahanmisi provided efficient scoring and paint touches and finished with 19 points and three assists on 63.5 TS%. Troy Rosario brought his usual grit, posting a double-double of 11 points and 16 rebounds -- 11 of which came on the offensive glass.
As Game 6 looms, the question once again centers on whether Ginebra can consistently generate efficient offense out of their triangle sets.