The struggles of reigning Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the 2026 Governors’ Cup deepened on Sunday night after another disappointing performance saw them fall to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 99-110, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The defeat marked another setback for the league powerhouse, which has yet to find its rhythm early in the conference. After entering the Governors’ Cup with championship expectations, Barangay Ginebra has instead found itself searching for consistency, now sitting at 1-2 in the standings.
Rain or Shine controlled much of the contest behind standout performances from Aaron Fuller and Caelan Tiongson. Fuller led all scorers with 37 points, while Tiongson added 21 points to help the Elasto Painters secure a statement victory against one of the PBA’s most decorated franchises.
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For Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone, the loss was particularly frustrating—not because of execution alone, but because of what he felt was a lack of effort and intensity from his players.
Cone expressed his disappointment during the postgame press conference, saying his team was simply outworked by Rain or Shine in every aspect of the game.
“I’m disappointed with our effort tonight. Really, really, really poor effort. It was the worst we have had in a long time. Rain or Shine outhustled us in all departments tonight, and they had a greater sense of urgency,” Cone said.
#WATCH: WORST WE’VE HAD IN A LONG TIME 🏀
Tim Cone lamented Ginebra’s lackluster effort against Rain or Shine, hoping the defeat lights a fire under the Gin Kings for the remainder of the #PBA50 Governors’ Cup#ReadMore 👉 https://t.co/di8Vmz3U7R
📹 @justinebacnis /Tiebreaker… pic.twitter.com/B1IYk2TxMG
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) July 26, 2026
The numbers reflected Cone’s concerns. Barangay Ginebra struggled with ball security throughout the game, committing 21 turnovers, while also losing the rebounding battle, 46-37. The Gin Kings were also dominated inside, getting outscored in the paint, 52-22, as Rain or Shine consistently found ways to attack their defense.
Beyond the statistics, Cone stressed that the bigger issue was the team’s inability to match the hunger and intensity displayed by the Elasto Painters.
The veteran tactician also acknowledged that a possible championship hangover may have contributed to Barangay Ginebra’s slow start. Coming off another title run, Cone admitted that maintaining the same level of focus and motivation can sometimes become a challenge for teams that have recently reached the top.
“Sometimes, coming off a championship, it’s tough to get guys going. Somehow, I’m gonna have to light a fire under our players, especially our key guys,” Cone said.
Despite the team’s early struggles, Cone remained confident that Barangay Ginebra can turn things around. He pointed to the squad’s history of overcoming adversity and believes the players will eventually rediscover the level of commitment needed to compete for another championship.
The coach also defended new import Riley Grigsby, who has carried much of the offensive responsibility early in the conference. While acknowledging Grigsby’s contributions, Cone emphasized that the rest of the lineup must provide more support if the Gin Kings want to remain in the title race.
“Riley’s doing enough for us to win, but everybody else needs to contribute at this point. They will probably be more on the horizon at this point, but eventually, we will figure it out. Generally, we always do, but again, it’s like pulling teeth trying to get our guys focused and locked in on what we do and to play hard,” Cone said.
With the Governors’ Cup still in its early stages, Barangay Ginebra has plenty of time to recover, but Cone knows improvements must come quickly as the competition continues to intensify.
The Gin Kings will look to end their slump and return to the win column when they face the Meralco Bolts on Friday, July 31, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
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