MANILA: Yeng Guiao couldn’t be happier being proven wrong by his players.

Not this time.

The Rain or Shine mentor almost gave up on his wards after trailing big early, as the Elasto Painters mounted a comeback to remember to bring old tormentor San Miguel Beer to its knees, 98-94, for a 1-0 lead in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup Final Four series on Sunday night at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

With yet another slow start that saw them being buried in a 29-11 hole late in the first, the Painters methodically worked their way back – after a halftime huddle that had Guiao almost conceding – to pull out the win and instill a belief in their coach that they have what it takes to defeat the Beermen this time.

“It’s just one of those comeback that will linger in your memory,” Guiao said after getting a career-high 23 points from rookie Maverick Ahanmisi. “I almost gave up on the guys, but they didn’t give up on me.”

The victory also gave Rain or Shine the lead for the first time in the last three playoff series with the Beermen, who yielded just three of 10 games in their previous two match-ups before winning the last two conferences.

With the way his players responded to adversity – and even if import Pierre Henderson-Niles was saddled with four fouls in the second period – Guiao admitted that he has something good to hope for in this latest series.

“We are looking forward to a series which we might win this time,” Guiao said.

Jeff Chan was also brilliant in the fourth, and Henderson-Niles struck hardest offensively in the stretch together with Ahanmisi to give the Painters the finishing kick they needed to finish off the Beermen.

Guiao was particularly proud that they beat a San Miguel side that got its two best players – import Tyler Wilkerson and reigning two-time MVP June Mar Fajardo – churning out mammoth efforts.

Wilkerson scored 20 of his 40 points in the first to jumpstart the San Miguel offense, while Fajardo was dominating all night, finishing with 23.

But the Rain or Shine defense effectively took them both out during winning time, before Chan and Ahanmisi finished off the Beermen on the other end by scoring the Painters’ last 11 points inside the final four minutes.

“As great as their import and June Mar (Fajardo) were playing, we pulled through,” Guiao said. “It was a great testament to the character of this team. Everybody helped out. We pulled through this crucial game as a team – together.”

Game 2 of this series is slated on Tuesday night even as No. 2 seed Meralco and third-ranked Alaska open their half of the Final Four at 7 p.m. on Monday also at the Big Dome in Cubao.

Rain or Shine also gutted out the win despite Henderson-Niles not playing the whole of the third period because of four fouls.

The burly Rain or Shine import was whistled for his fifth foul with just over seven minutes remaining before returning from a short rest to score four straight points and forge an 87-all tie.

San Miguel was in the lead for the last time at 94-92 after a power play by Fajardo, before Chan rifled in the last of his two triples with 63 seconds remaining and touch off the Painters’ finishing salvo.

Ahanmisi, the surprise third overall pick by the Painters in the last Draft, scored the last three points – all from the free throw line.

Alex Cabagnot was the third man in twin digits for the Beermen with 15, while Jericho Cruz and Chan combined for 21 for the Painters.