With quality draft picks, Rain or Shine sees return to happier times

Rain or Shine players huddle up. PBA IMAGES

It’s been a while since Rain or Shine has had a deep playoff run in the Philippine Basketball Association.

A hardworking blue-collar squad, the Elasto Painters last made a semifinal appearance during the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup—and that is a tad too long for a club that has won two titles and made six trips to the Finals.

And coach Chris Gavina hopes that after snaring top-flight prospects in the recent Draft, the good times are coming again.

“When you get this high-level, championship-bred kind of players to add to what we already have in the core of Mike Nieto, Andrei Caracut and Santi Santillan, you can’t be more ecstatic,” he said.

The Painters tabbed former Ateneo skipper Gian Mamuyac fifth overall, second-generation forward Shaun Ildefonso (10th overall) along with two more Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League-hardened players in Clarito and RJ Ramirez.

The 47th Season opens on June 5 with the Philippine Cup where TNT is the defending champion.

“I’m looking forward to our practices being even more competitive than it usually is. All these guys will be trying to prove themselves,” he added.

Gavina said that Rain or Shine actually had its eyes on Jeo Ambohot, who was picked by league newcomer Converge at No. 3. He was set on taking Mamuyac at No. 5, but was surprised to still see Ildefonso free when the Painters were on the clock.