Rain or Shine goes deep to help low-scoring import

Rain or Shine import Pierre Henderson-Niles. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Ever wonder how Rain or Shine is thriving in an import-spiced tournament with an import that is not really blessed with great overall talent?

Tommy Manotoc, one of two men who handled possibly the greatest PBA team of all time—the defunct Crispa Redmanizers—believes that the Elasto Painters can hold fort even in an import-laden event because of its young local core that is flourishing at this time.

“Crispa was 9-10 (local men) deep,” Manotoc told the Inquirer over the phone Saturday after the Painters took a 1-0 lead over Alaska in their best-of-seven series for the Commissioner’s Cup.

“At this point, coach Yeng (Guiao) is 7-8 (deep), and that’s a lot.”

Manotoc believes that the Painters are even deeper than powerhouse San Miguel Beer, which he rates at “6-7,” and that with Paul Lee again nearing peak form, “Rain or Shine can beat you with several guys, not just with one or two as most teams do.”

The conversation with the 1983 Grand Slam-winning coach actually happened because of Pierre Henderson-Niles, the Rain or Shine import who scored just six points and had 13 rebounds in a 105-97 Game 1 win on Wednesday when the Painters weathered a career-high 41 points from Rob Dozier.

Manotoc said that Crispa had “the greatest lineup that can never be repeated” because it also had the legendary Billy Ray Bates, who boosted the formidable local roster led by William Adornado, Atoy Co, Philip Cezar, Bernie Fabiosa, Freddie Hubalde and Abet Guidaben.

Though Rain or Shine has lost just one game ever since Pierre Henderson-Niles arrived, Manotoc believes that it is the overall local strength of the Painters that has gotten them this far.

“Like with Crispa, you don’t need 1-2 players to deliver for you for 30 minutes,” Manotoc went on. “Coach Yeng has multiple guys that can do that. And that’s an advantage. Even (Beau) Belga is making fadeaway jumpers.

“The problem I see with Rain or Shine now is that because they don’t have a prolific import, they (locals) would have to make up for that every game,” he said.