By REYNALD MAGALLON
Enough on the need to earn enough playoff experience for a young team like Rain or Shine.
For coach Yeng Guiao, now is the time for his players to show what and how much they have learned through all the battles that they’ve been through.
The Elasto Painters feel that they are now on a survival mode after going down 0-2 in their best-of-seven semifinals series against the TNT Tropang Giga in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup.
Guiao said that they cannot anymore hide in the comfort of their youth and that losses can be charged to growth and experience for their young team.
“Di ko na nga sinasabi na bata sila. That’s becoming an excuse. Sabi ko wag nyo isipin na bata tayo, ngayon lang tayo nakakrating sa ganto. Kailangan magmature,” said Guiao as his Rain or Shine seeks breakthrough when the PBA semis go down south in Dasmarinas City Arena on Sunday, Oct. 13.
“If you keep thinking na bata kami, may excuse kami. Kailangan talaga na pilitin mo na makapaglaro ka sa level ng kalaban mo,” he added.
Playing at par with TNT is something ROS has yet to figure out through the first two games with the defending champions pulling away in the third quarters of both games.
Guiao hopes to make the adjustments heading into their third game set as the main event at 7:30 p.m. with the equally entertaining semis pairing of San Miguel and Ginebra setting as curtain raiser in the first game at 5 p.m.
“We are just looking for one good game na pwedeng makapagpabangon ng morale namin maybe a game where we can recover our confidence,” said Guiao as after Rondae Hollis-Jefferson delivered the killing blows in Game 1, it was the turn of his former players Rey Nambatac and Calvin Oftana to be the thorn to their sides in Game 2.
“Mataas na yung kumpyansa ng TNT, kami bumababa yung kumpyansa namin so we’re just rtying to get back yung confidence. We’re looking to win one game first survival mode ka na pagka 0-2 ka na. Just win one game and hope that the momentum shifts iyon na yung objective on Sunday,” he added.
Trying to decongest the paint and give Aaron Fuller enough space to operate will be the priority for Rain or Shine as Guiao hopes Andrei Caracut, Gian Mamuyac and even Adrian Nocum find their mark on the offense in Game 3.
Meanwhile, Ginebra head coach Tim Cone conceded that Game 2 truly belongs to San Miguel after making the bigger shots in its 131-125 overtime win.
Terrence Romeo made the difference and the veteran mentor stressed the importance of shadowing not only him but also the rest of the SMB gunners in CJ Perez and Marcio Lassiter who both made the mark last time out.
“We let Romeo get away in the overtime. We didn’t cover him well enough and that was the story of the game. It was a great game, that’s the way it is supposed to be in a series, so we’ll see what we can do in Game 3,” said Cone.
