Vintage performance from James Yap saves Rain or Shine. PBA IMAGES
After a high-wire triumph on Saturday against one of the teams to beat in the PBA Philippine Cup, Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia wants his Elasto Painters to do one thing when they play struggling Blackwater on Wednesday.
“I’ve been telling them the last two days in practice to not let that beautiful game we played (last Saturday) go to waste, for us not to be complacent,” Garcia told the Inquirer as Rain or Shine shoots for a share of the lead at 7 p.m. at Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay.
“But after that game, and after giving them the day off on Sunday, they (Painters) have been practicing well. I didn’t see any let up in them,” Garcia added as Rain or Shine tries to win a third straight game and catch idle Phoenix Pulse on top.
Rain or Shine also welcomes back national pool member Raymond Almazan, giving Garcia more ceiling against the winless Elite (0-2).
TNT also shoots for a third straight victory when the Texters battle sister team Meralco in the 4:30 p.m. game.
Almazan injured an ankle two weeks ago and is nearing game shape.
He was in uniform when the Painters edged crowd-darling Barangay Ginebra, 83-80, in Calasiao, Pangasinan, over the weekend.
But Garcia deemed it best to play him against the Elite instead and allow for more time for his 6-foot-7 center to recover.
“He still didn’t have his timing back for the Ginebra game,” Garcia said of Almazan.
“But after two more practices, he moved very well. We will give him a go (Wednesday).”
Rain or Shine held Ginebra to just 80 points on Saturday, a testament to how well it is playing defense—certainly bad news for a Blackwater squad that is trying to make a life after losing Poy Erram and John Pinto to trades and still not having Ray Parks, the second overall choice in the Draft, suit up.
Blackwater has dropped its first two games. After opening up with a 91-117 loss to NorthPort, it showed remarkable improvement in bowing to Meralco, 94-99.
With Almazan returning and Erram now playing for NLEX, Blackwater will have to rely heavily on rookie Abu Tratter to carry most of the responsibilities for the Elite in the middle.
Meanwhile, there’s no denying that the KaTropa will have the momentum going into its clash with the Bolts.
TNT will enter the game fresh from turning back four-time defending champion San Miguel Beer on Sunday.
Jayson Castro scored 24 points and had 11 assists in a 104-93 decision of the Beermen while Troy Rosario announced his return to active duty with a heady performance that helped negate the KaTropa’s disadvantage in size.