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E-PAINTERS BRACE FOR BATANG PIER ASSAULT
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RAIN or Shine can’t be faulted for taking a very cautious stance when it takes on GlobalPort Thursday in their PBA Governors Cup quarterfinals matchup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Elasto Painters need just a single win to advance outright to the best-of-five semifinals and from there take another step closer to a successful title-retention bid.
But there’s this nagging memory borne of a recent experience.
Rain or Shine also enjoyed a win-once advantage over Barangay Ginebra in the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals, only to lose twice to the eventual finalist.
“We had a twice-to-beat advantage in the last conference and we messed it up,” noted E-Painters coach Yeng Guiao.
“We can’t let it happen again.”
Rain or Shine should take the lessons learned to heart.
For one, GlobalPort wants to show everybody, especially the non-believers, that its first-ever playoffs appearance is no fluke and is raring to at least extend the matchup to a decider on Saturday.
Furthermore, the taste of making it past the eliminations for the first time is so sweet the Batang Pier want it to last.
“Compete! That would be our battlecry for our series with Rain or Shine,” said GlobalPort coach Junel Baculi, who likes his team’s underdog tag just fine.
“They have the experience and they have been together for a long time. But our team will be out there to prove that they can compete with the best teams,” stated Baculi.
That resolve would indeed be tested.
Rain or Shine won their first meeting, 94-74, last Aug. 17, when Arizona Reid notched 27 points, 17 rebounds and five assists and Ryan Arana and Paul Lee chipped in at least 15 points each.
The E-Painters also held the Batang Pier to just 10 points in the second quarter to fully take command and blow the game wide open.
GlobalPort import Markeith Cummings was also held down to just 23 points by the alternating defense anchored on Jireh Ibanes and Gabe Norwood.
The Batang Pier expect things to go differently this time, what with Jay Washington, Sol Mercado and Gary David seemingly having found their stride and ready to provide Cummings with the needed support.
So do the likes of Jeff Chan, Beau Belga, JR Quinahan and Larry Rodriguez for Rain or Shine.
Besides, there is this thing about the heart of a champion.
“We are ready to defend our title,” stressed Guiao. (NC)
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EDITORS' PICK
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