Yeng Guiao shakes hands with his former coaching staff at Rain or Shine. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
For coach Yeng Guiao, there was no reason to be emotional when he faced off against his former team Rain or Shine on Friday in the 2016 PBA Philippine Cup.
Guiao’s only concern was how to get over his current squad NLEX over the hump.
“I just wanted to end the losing streak and not get to a deeper hole,” he said. “We just approached it as a regular game. I did not mention it to the team that we have to beat Rain or Shine because it’s my former team for it might be additional pressure which will be unnecessary to my team. So that’s how I handled it. I tried to focus on what we needed to do.”
With a disheartening four-game skid, NLEX needed a win badly. And it looked like the Road Warriors were on the Elasto Painters after putting a 12-point lead numerous times in the second half.
But the same people who Guiao had molded into the kind of players they are today keyed in his team’s demise as Jewel Ponferrada and Jericho Cruz helped seal the 107-97 victory for Rain or Shine.
Guiao and the Road Warriors are heading into a Christmas break carrying a five-game losing skid.
“It’s kind of frustrating but that happens. Hindi mo pwedeng ikalburo para mahinog. You have to just go through trials, tribulations, and adversities in order to develop and mold your character,” the coach said.
He also likened his situation to his early years in Rain or Shine, which he later on managed to turn into a consistent championship contender.
“This is not like it’s the first time this has happened or it’s an unfamiliar territory. It’s really something you need to go through in developing a team.”
As for Rain or Shine, Guiao said that whatever outbursts he had on the court will stay on the court and not affect the bond he forged with his former players.
“Even if I engaged against them, I guess they’ll understand that I’m just being myself. It does not affect our relationship we built through the years,” he said.
Though he admitted it felt weird being on the other side, Guiao reiterated he has no axe to grind against the Raymond Yu and Terry Que-owned franchise, a team which he steered to two titles in his five-year stay.
“I didn’t consider this as a grudge match or some sort of seeking or looking for revenge. I have no grudge against them,” he said. “We parted very amicably. We still remain friends with the management and the players, so there’s no reason for me to feel anything negative about them and I think it’s the other way for them that they don’t have any ill will towards me.”