Rain or Shine Elastopainters’ Jhonard Clarito in the PBA Governors’ Cup. –PBA IMAGES
Coach Yeng Guiao refuses to look too much ahead, despite keeping Rain or Shine unbeaten in Group B of the PBA Governors’ Cup and equaling the franchise’s best start since he steered the Elasto Painters to their first-ever championship 12 years ago.
“All of this is fragile,” Guiao said after the Elasto Painters’ 116-99 win on Friday over the import-less Phoenix Fuel Masters at Ninoy Aquino Stadium. “One or two losses, you’ll get demoralized. One injury can take you a step back, and that’s why we have to take care of this [impressive record].”
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The victory, behind another first-half comeback, kept Rain or Shine as the only team without a defeat in the group stage of the season-opening conference at 4-0, thanks to another efficient showing from import Aaron Fuller and a collective effort starred by speedy sophomore Adrian Nocum.
It also matched the similar start the Elasto Painters had in the 2012 Governors’ Cup when Guiao mentored the team to the championship behind import Jameel Cornley and old mainstays Gabe Norwood, Beau Belga and Paul Lee. Only Norwood and Belga are still active for the paint company.
They close the first round on Thursday against perennial contender San Miguel Beer at the same venue, a meeting that could measure Rain or Shine’s potential as a title contender.
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Guiao, however, disagrees with that notion.
“We’re still in the eliminations and the other teams have yet to heat up,” said Guiao. “Teams usually get into form midway in the eliminations, so it’s hard to say if we’ll consider ourselves as a title contender [if we end up winning against San Miguel]. All of this is temporary.”
No importRain or Shine had beaten Barangay Ginebra last week in Candon, Ilocos Sur, and had rallied from 21 points down in the first half to claim victory over NLEX two nights prior to its mastery of Phoenix, which dropped to 0-3.
Phoenix was without a reinforcement after sending home Jayveous McKinnis and supposed replacement Le’Bryan Nash being inches above the maximum 6-foot-6 height limit.
Speaking of San Miguel and NLEX, the two sides will face each other on Saturday in the group stage’s second provincial sortie in Cagayan de Oro City at 6 p.m.
NLEX is at 2-1 after its loss to Rain or Shine, and is out to get back on track when coach Jong Uichico takes on the team he steered to multiple championships during the 2000s.San Miguel likewise holds the same record after failing to stop Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee, who fired a career-high 51 points in a 108-102 win on Tuesday.
Brownlee and Ginebra were facing Blackwater at press time, the latter parading new import George King following a horrendous showing by the misfiring Ricky Ledo. INQ
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