In another jam-packed week, we're starting to see teams take shape we approach the season's midway point. Competition is fierce in Group A, with the top five teams separated by just a single game. On the other hand in Group B, Rain or Shine is eyeing a perfect slate to finish the first half of their games unbeaten.
Let's take a look at the teams that bounced back, struggled, and held their ground in Week 2 of the Governors' Cup.
1. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (4-0); Group B rank: 1st
Previous week: 2nd; Group B rank: tied for 1st
Rain or Shine has fully embodied the "strength in numbers" mantra this week in their recent wins. Reigning Most Improved Player Jhonard Clarito had a standout performance, scoring 24 points on a perfect 9-9 shooting from the field. Beyond the numbers, Clarito's intangibles made a significant impact, as he relentlessly harassed NLEX import Myke Henry and brought an unmatched activity level to the game.
Against Phoenix, it was Adrian Nocum who stepped up after a subpar showing in the previous game. In just 18 minutes, the sophomore guard contributed 21 points, with 19 of them coming in a remarkable seven-minute stretch in the second quarter.
Adding more context, Rain or Shine trailed by double digits in both games. The key characteristic that has allowed them to turn things around is their exceptionally deep roster. Their ability to have different players step up at crucial moments has been the driving force behind their early success, which makes them a formidable contender this conference.
2. Meralco Bolts (3-1); Group A rank: 1stPrevious week: 7th; Group A rank: tied for 2nd
Despite dealing with multiple injuries, Meralco managed to go undefeated in their two assignments, putting themselves right back in the thick of Group A action. Their resilience was highlighted by the next up mentality and Allen Durham regaining his old form.
Even playing sans Chris Newsome, Meralco's wings namely Bong Quinto, Allein Maliksi, and rookie CJ Cansino combined for 9-14 shooting from 3 to get the easy win over Terrafirma. While Allen Durham took matters into his own hands with a near triple-double performance of 34 points, 16 rebounds, and nine assists to defeat NorthPort.
Meralco exudes the confidence of a team that knows what it takes to win. Durham's Week 2 performance may have silenced doubts about whether he's still the same dominant player, showing he can still lead the team when it matters most.
3. TNT Tropang Giga (3-1); Group A rank: 2nd
Previous week: 1st; Group A rank: 1st
With four games into the Governors' Cup, TNT's patented offense hasn't quite clicked, averaging just 90 points per 100 possessions, according to InStat. This is a significant drop from their performance in the last conference, where they had the third-best offensive rating of 108.6, per RealGM. But thanks to their excellent defense (80.6 rating), they are still one of the top teams in Group A.
TNT's offensive struggles were evident in their narrow 96-95 loss to Converge, where they squandered a 13-point halftime lead and managed just 42 points in the second half. Two days later, they put on a defensive clinic and beat Magnolia with a score of 88-82.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson continues to provide everything TNT needs with averages of 32 points, 17 rebounds, 6.5 assists, and 3.5 stocks (steals + blocks) for Week 2. Calvin Oftana had his best game in the conference against Converge with 22 points and 10 rebounds on 6-12 shooting from 3-point range.
4. NLEX Road Warriors (3-1); Group B rank: 2nd
Previous week: 4th; Group B rank: 2nd
As of this writing, there's ample reason to consider NLEX a dark horse contender in the Governors' Cup. They started their slate of games this week strong with a 21-point lead versus Rain or Shine in the second quarter, but ultimately allowed a 40-point turnaround to lose the match.
The real test for NLEX came against a talented San Miguel squad, also coming off a loss. The game was a seesaw battle that required five extra minutes, but in the end, NLEX had more answers and secured the win against the powerhouse team.
Henry continued his stellar play as he averaged 27 points, six rebounds, and four assists on 56/40/80 shooting splits in two games for this week. A revelation for NLEX was Michael Miranda, who provided a scoring punch and a guy that can guard opposing bigs with numbers of 16 points on 75% (3-4) from the 4-point line.
5. NorthPort Batang Pier (2-2); Group A rank: 3rd
Previous week: 8th; Group A rank: tied for 2nd
The talk of the town was Arvin Tolentino's splendid performance of 51 points that helped NorthPort dominate Converge.
Back to Tolentino's 51 piece, his 16-for-16 from the free throw line tied the best overall mark of free throws without a miss in PBA history - which was set by Alvin Patrimonio in 1989. He also became the first local to score 50 points since Stanley Pringle in 2018 and is the first one to put up 51 points since Asi Taulava back in 2004.
In NorthPort's second game of the week, the team attempted to erase a 24-point deficit in the fourth quarter but ultimately fell short of their comeback. Joshua Munzon had a solid Week 2, contributing 17.5 points over two games to support Tolentino on the offensive end. However, it's worth noting that import Venky Jois managed just six points across both assignments.
6. Magnolia Hotshots (2-2); Group A rank: 4th
Previous week: 6th; Group A rank: tied for 2nd
Magnolia had a rollercoaster Week 2, suffering a tough loss to TNT but bouncing back with a decisive win over a struggling Terrafirma. Consistency will be key as they look to build momentum in the coming weeks.
In their game versus TNT, it was clear that Magnolia's offense needed some spice after being just 82 points. But against Terrafirma, Magnolia had six players scoring in double figures.
Whether or not there's talk of changing imports, Glenn Robinson III's scoring output this week (19.5 points per game) may need to improve if Magnolia hopes for a deep playoff run in this conference. On a positive note, Jerrick Ahanmisi had an impressive showing, solidifying his reputation as arguably the best volume 4-point shooter in the PBA with 4-of-8 shooting from that range.
7. Converge FiberXers (2-2); Group A rank: 5th
Previous week: 6th; Group A rank: tied for 2nd
For an up-and-coming squad, the highs and lows are to be expected. That's exactly what's happening with Converge, as they navigate the challenges of growing as a team while showing flashes of their potential.
Converge went neck and neck with defending Governors' Cup champions TNT, and secured the win with a historic go-ahead 4-point shot by import Scotty Hopson. However, as they tried to ride the momentum of that big victory, they were overwhelmed by NorthPort and Arvin Tolentino -- leaving Converge without any answers on defense.
Deschon Winston had a solid week offensively scoring 15 points on average in two games, where he did most of his damage from the midrange. Big man Justin Arana also put up a good scoring output of 14.5 rebounds and eight rebounds, but efficiency (40.7 FG%) could get better in the coming games.
8. Blackwater Bossing (1-3); Group B rank: 3rd
Previous week: 11th; Group A rank: tied for 4th
Blackwater made their presence felt this week -- despite playing just one game -- with a big victory over Ginebra. Their success is largely due to their new import, George King, who fits seamlessly into head coach Jeffrey Cariaso's system.
After Ricky Ledo's struggles, King couldn't have asked for a better debut. He posted 33 points, 19 rebounds, and 4 assists on 52.2% shooting from the field -- including two crucial 4-pointers that proved to be the difference in the game. Now that the league has seen what he can do, the next step for King is to stay consistent as Blackwater looks to climb the standings.
Rookie Sedrick Barefield is still adjusting to the PBA game, although he hit a vital 4-point shot to put the game to sleep. Reliable veteran Troy Rosario hopes to continue his steady play, while Christian David and James Kwekuteye have been productive for Blackwater coming off the bench.
9. Barangay Ginebra (1-2); Group B rank: 4th
Previous week: 10th; Group B rank: tied for 4th
Justin Brownlee keeps on adding to his legendary resume with a career-high performance of 51 points to lead Ginebra to its first win over San Miguel. But the reality is: He can't do it all and his teammates need to help in the scoring department.
If we look at traditional stats, Ginebra has the lowest points per game so far in the conference, averaging just 86.7. This was evident in their loss to Blackwater, where the team collectively shot 38.6% from the field and just 13.3% from beyond the arc. Their offensive struggles should be monitored as the conference progresses.
Japeth Aguilar has been the consistent local scorer for Ginebra, averaging 19 points and seven rebounds. There could be optimism with rookie RJ Abarrientos with 11.5 points on 42/38/100 splits.
10. San Miguel Beermen (2-2); Group B rank: 5th
Previous week: 3rd; Group B rank: tied for 1st
Even the high production of reinforcement Jordan Adams and reigning MVP June Mar Fajardo didn't translate into wins this week against the better teams of Group A.
San Miguel couldn't figure out a defensive scheme to stop Brownlee's onslaught; or perhaps it exposed their lack of wing and perimeter defenders. A similar story unfolded against NLEX, as they struggled to get key defensive stops in crunch time to fall for the second consecutive game.
Allowing 108.8 points per game will not make the cut if they have aspirations to capture the championship.
11. Phoenix Fuel Masters (0-3); Group B rank: 6th
Previous week: 9th; Group B rank: tied for 4th
It's safe to say this hasn't been the best week for Phoenix. They decided to replace Jayveous McKinnis after two underwhelming performances in the first week. LeBryan Nash, however, was slightly over the import height limit. To make matters worse, their next assignment is against an unbeaten Rain or Shine.
Phoenix actually made the game interesting, even holding a 10-point lead over Rain or Shine in the first quarter. But Phoenix ran out of gas in the second half to go listless in three games.
Phoenix needs to find its identity. Both offensively and defensively, they're struggling, with an offensive rating of 95 points per 100 possessions and a defensive rating of 105.7. The question now is whether the right import can help turn things around.
12. Terrafirma Dyip (0-4); Group A rank: 6th
Previous week: 12th; Group A rank: 6th
Terrafirma has been a tough watch so far in the Governors' Cup. Along with the winless record is a point differential of minus-88 in only four games.
Stanley Pringle's resurgence has been largely wasted, as he hasn't received sufficient scoring support from his teammates. Juami Tiongson continues to be out of sorts in this conference, and Antonio Hester isn't putting up import-like numbers while showing an atrocious effort on defense.
Christian Standhardinger had his best game for Terrafirma against Magnolia with 22 points and rookie Paolo Hernandez is showing he belongs in the league with averages of 17.5 points on 56% field goal shooting and 75% from the 4-point line. But these performances will all go for naught if the team cannot play defense.