PBA: Andrei Caracut catches fire with Bella Belen in the crowd

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters’ Andrei Caracut during a game vs San Miguel Beermen in the 2026 PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals. –PBA IMAGES

MANILA, Philippines–The “BellDrei” ship was in full sail Friday night at Ynares Sports Center.

Volleyball star Bella Belen was in attendance to watch Andrei Caracut and Rain or Shine eliminate San Miguel Beer in the quarterfinals of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

As expected, cameras frequently caught Belen on screen whenever Caracut was making plays for the Elasto Painters.

Asked about his inspired performance, Caracut jokingly searched for an answer.

“I’m just inspired because…” he said, followed with a telling pause.

“My teammates worked really hard. Seeing them train like that really inspired me to help my team win,” he added in jest.

While he didn’t directly answer how much impact Belen had on his performance, his numbers surely spoke for it.

Caracut ended up with a team-high 29 points that went with six rebounds and five assists for Rain or Shine. He also backstopped Caelan Tiongson and import Jaylen Johnson, who both had 23 points.

When asked once more if there was extra motivation behind his big game, Caracut could only laugh.

“Pwede sa text na lang? Can I just do it through text?),” he replied.

Rumors between Belen and Caracut started late in the elimination round when the PVL sensation was seen supporting the La Salle product.

Caracut and the Elasto Painters, though, turn their attention to the semifinals, where they wll face either Barangay Ginebra or Phoenix.