Rain or Shine is for real, says Yeng Guiao

Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — If Rain or Shine needed any affirmation that it’s a no one-hit wonder, perhaps its second straight trip to the Finals would be it.

The Elasto Painters outlasted the B-Meg Llamados, now San Mig Coffee Mixers, in a grueling seven games to win the PBA Governors Cup title and going through another gauntlet to make the Philippine Cup Finals is a testament to the team’s rise to power.

“We’re just proud to be here,” said ROS head coach Yeng Guiao. “[Being here means] that we’ve been able to prove last conference’s championship was no fluke and that we’re for real.”

The Elasto Painters will also try to continue relishing their underdog status which started in the quarterfinals against crowd-favorite Barangay Ginebra.

“Alam namin na dehado kami. Sa Ginebra dehado, sa San Mig hindi kami favored so mas lalo na ngayon against Talk ‘N Text,” Guiao said. “And gusto namin yun, that’s where we want us to be. We want to be the underdogs.”

But whether or not Rain or Shine is the underdog and Talk ‘N Text is the favorite, Tropang Texters head coach Norman Black doesn’t care.

Black said his team’s focus would be just to win and not really think about the odds.

“I’m not thinking about underdogs,” echoed TNT swingman Jared Dillinger.