Wendell McKines (14) and Raymond Almazan (57) of Rain or Shine (dark) vs Liam Paul McMorrow (50) and William Wilson (28) of Barako Bull (light). PBA IMAGES
Tasting its fourth defeat in five games in the 2015 PBA Governor’s Cup, Rain or Shine is in an unfamiliar position at the cellar with a 1-4 card.
It is the franchise’s worst start under the tutelage of coach Yeng Guiao and the mentor is now wary of the possibility of Rain or Shine missing the playoffs.
“I hope it’s not too late,” said Guiao. “We can still save ourselves from being eliminated. I feel that if we’re just able to weather the storm, even if we’re in the lower four of the top eight, we still have a chance to upset the upper teams.”
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Guiao has already accepted that with the Elasto Painters’ record, it is now hard to make it to the top half of the standings. But if Rain or Shine could just muster enough wins to advance to the quarterfinals, he believes that there might still be hope.
“It’s now hard to be on the top four, but we just don’t want to be eliminated. We just want to be in the middle and give us a chance to play in the playoffs. We might be able to gain our stride at that time,” he said.
Beau Belga agrees with Guiao’s statements and said that the rest of the Elasto Painters should now play with a higher sense of urgency.
“Gusto ko lang mag-survive. Wag lang kaming ma-out. Di naman siguro kami ganun ka-bobo na di namin kayang abutin yung semis. Wag lang talaga kaming ma-out,” he said.
(I just want to survive. We just don’t want to be eliminated. I don’t think we’re not that stupid that we can’t make it to the semis. We just don’t want to be out.)
Belga noted that their struggles are not really that hopeless and it’s just a case of the players not getting their grooveat the same time.
“Di lang nagkakatugma-tugma, di lang nagsasabay yung swerte. Di lang nagkakasama-sama,” he said. “Yun ang pinupuna sa amin ni coach na nawawala yung offense namin. Yun talaga ang pinagbubuhusan namin sa practice. Di lang kami dapat puro depensa.”
(We’re just not in sync. That’s what coach was telling us, that our offense is getting stale. That’s what we’re fixing in practice we can’t do it by defense alone.)
The slotman, though, is still optimistic of the road ahead.
“It’s not too late. As long as we’re not out, we’re not yet eliminated from this conference, we still have a chance,” he said. CC
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