Rain or Shine eager to get back in the groove, set to welcome back Yap, Rosales

Rain or Shine Elasto Painters. FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines—Rain or Shine is now slowly getting used to the new set of training rules for PBA teams in the new normal amid the pandemic.

On top of that, the Elastopainters are also set to welcome back two of their players. Two-time MVP James Yap is flying home after his family vacation in Italy while point guard Kris Rosales is set to return from Los Angeles.

“I think everybody wants to play already, that’s one thing,” said RoS head coach Caloy Garcia in an interview with the Sports Page alongside NLEX chief Yeng Guiao. “We can only get better, if we play together.”

Yap has been away from the team for three months but is set to return to Manila after spending some much needed quality time with his sons and partner Michela Cazzola.

“Hard for me today to say bye. I will miss you. Will come back as soon as possible,” wrote Yap on his Instagram account.

PBA teams returned to practice last week after Metro Manila was placed back under the general community quarantine.

But they are only allowed to have groups of four players with one coach each practice session to maintain social distancing protocols.

The PBA, however, plans to write another letter to the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases requesting the government body to allow teams to conduct full-contact practices.

Garcia said allowing teams to get back to their normal routine would give the coaches a better understanding of their teams’ condition.

“If we can try to get back as quickly as possible and have contacts and scrimmages, because that’s what would really sharpen the players,” said Garcia. “Even us coaches can already gauge players by that time.”