PBA: Yeng Guiao, Rain or Shine brace for do-or-die Game 5, eye lifeline vs depleted TNT

With their season hanging in the balance, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters will go all out to stave off elimination when they face the TNT Tropang 5G in Game 5 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals on Friday, July 4.

Gametime is set at 5 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

[RELATED STORY: 'Embarassed' Ganuelas-Rosser shows up in PBA semis G4 for TNT: 'We just had to be tougher’]

Down 1-3 in the best-of-seven series, Rain or Shine knows there’s no more room for error. But they also see a golden opportunity.

TNT is reeling from a slew of setbacks: coach Chot Reyes is suspended for the pivotal Game 5 after picking up his fifth technical foul, while key players Calvin Oftana and Kelly Williams are doubtful after hurting their ankle in Game 4. RR Pogoy, nursing a left hamstring strain, has not played since the second half of Game 2 and remains uncertain.

For Rain or Shine, this is the window they need to exploit.

Coach Yeng Guiao is expected to go deep into his rotation, hoping to rekindle the Game 3 magic that saw Anton Asistio, Caelan Tiongson, and Adrian Nocum spark a 21-point rout.

The fiery mentor also knows the threat TNT poses despite being shorthanded—Jordan Heading, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, and Glenn Khobuntin stepped up in their last outing to seal a 108-92 win.

But Game 5 is a different beast. The Elasto Painters must bring their most cohesive game yet—offensively sharp, defensively disciplined, and mentally locked in—to force a Game 6 and keep their run alive.

The path is steep, but the fight isn’t over.

[ALSO READ: PBA: TNT's Calvin Oftana vows to still play despite ankle pains in semis Game 4 vs ROS]

(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)

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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]