Facing Guiao an emotional encounter for Rain or Shine

Yeng Guiao shakes hand with former player Gabe Norwood. Photo y Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Rain or Shine can finally move on.

The Elasto Painters wrapped up an emotional week, where it played against former cornerstone Paul Lee with Star last Sunday and ex-head coach Yeng Guiao and NLEX on Friday, with an encouraging 107-97 over the Road Warriors.

New head coach Caloy Garcia admitted it was anything but an ordinary game for Rain or Shine, from the players to the staff.

“It’s an emotional game for us. He’s been a father to us and the whole team,” he said of Guiao. “It’s like when you see your father [against you, you’re still going to get hurt.”

Yeng Guiao shakes hand with former coaching staff. Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

It was an awkward situation for Rain or Shine, which had a fruitful six-year partnership with Guiao that ended in two championships.

“It was a little weird,” said Chan. “I was waiting for him to cuss me or bump me a bit.”

But for Norwood, seeing Guiao on the other side of the court is something his squad needed to see.

“It’s tough, but at the same time it’s what we needed. It was probably a weird situation for everybody, but at the same time, we have to come out and we played our best and tried to win the game.”

But Elasto Painters did their best diffuse the emotions and managed to turn a 12-point deficit in the second half into a 10-point victory.

“We don’t want to be in a hole either and we wish coach Yeng the best, but at the same time, we’re competing. I think he would say the same thing,” said Norwood.

Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net

Beau Belga was relieved to come away with the victory over their former coach after losing to Lee and the Hosthots earlier in the week.

Against Guiao, the burly big man still did what he does best: get under the coach’s skin.

And Belga didn’t shy away from doing his usual antics, something which Guiao responded with hurls from the sideline.

It’s my first time facing against him that is really intense. Coach knows me and I’m not one to easily get pissed off.,” he said.

After the game, Guiao and the team still had one last moment as all of them approached the coach for handshakes.

“It’s just our sign of respect,” said Chan. “We spent a lot of years too with coach Yeng.”

Garcia is also hopeful that this will give Rain or Shine some sense of closure as the year comes to an end.

“Hopefully after this game, our team’s mindset will finally get better,” he said.