Yeng Guiao. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Rain or Shine looked very much like a beaten team on Wednesday night as its five on the floor Paul Lee, Beau Belga, Gabe Norwood, Jeff Chan and Jericho Cruz dragged themselves toward the bench during the team’s final timeout with 3:35 left in Game 5.
The Elasto Painters were behind, 99-85, at that point after San Miguel Beer scored on their third try with Marcio Lassiter making a jumper that sealed the game and a 3-2 semifinals series lead for the Beermen.
The Painters may have ceded Game 5, but not the series.
“We’re still very positive. We still feel that we can take this series, not just this game,” ROS head coach Yeng Guiao told reporters after his team showed little fight in the fourth quarter en route to a 103-94 loss.
“All we need is to gain our momentum that’s why I said Friday’s game is key because once we’re able to gain our momentum and once we’re able to keep the game close and play some defense, we can have a chance to win that game and then as I said, it’s the toss of a coin if it goes to Game 7,” Guiao added.
The Painters did keep the Beermen from pulling away, but for only three quarters until the defending champions turned the game into a blowout with a 20-8 run in the first five minutes of the fourth period.
And it’s no secret that Rain or Shine’s concerns are on the defensive end.
“It’s a defensive problem for us,” said Guiao.
The Beermen are a matchup problem to any team in the league with their combination of size, skill and depth.
June Mar Fajardo, San Miguel’s star center, has dominated in the series averaging more than 30 points, 15 rebounds and about three blocks per game and he’s still not the only problem for Rain or Shine.
“It’s like choosing your poison [against San Miguel],” admitted Guiao, who also has the Beermen’s outside shooting with Marcio Lassiter, Arwind Santos, Alex Cabagnot, Chris Lutz and Ronald Tubid capable of hurting the Painters with their long shots.
Despite dropping two in a row and losing their 2-1 series edge with a do-or-die game coming on Friday, Guiao made sure his players will be up to the task in Game 6.
“What I’m trying to emphasize with our long talk is they just have to make a commitment to sacrificing themselves, their bodies to play good defense without committing the fouls and sustaining that for 48 minutes and we’ll just think about the next 48 minutes if we get through them on Friday.”