RAIN OR SHINE BATTLES GINEBRA

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DUBAI – Banged up or otherwise, Rain or Shine returns to the Al Shabab Club Friday to face Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the second of back-to-back PBA Governors’ Cup games here.

Fatigue, even aggravated injuries notwithstanding, the Elasto Painters are determined to make the most of the cards they’ve been dealt. Question is, will they have anything else left against the undermanned but well-rested Kings in their 8:30 p.m. (12:30 a.m. Saturday Manila time) encounter?

That is because the Elasto Painters played GlobalPort until 10:35 p.m. Thursday in the Dubai games opener.

“Ours is a unique situation,” said ROS coach Yeng Guiao, who is hoping to win both games. “Although we have accepted the arrangement and embraced it, playing two straight games under a different environment can be very taxing.”

ROS has had two practice sessions and one walk-through to prepare for the GlobalPort game. Against Barangay Ginebra, the E-Painters simply went through the motions hours before the game.

“That’s all we had against them, the morning walk-through (on Friday) will be our actual preparation,” Guiao said.

Stacking the odds higher against them, the ROS mentor believes, is having to share the same boat with the Kings.

“They are also feeling some sense of urgency and trying to secure their confidence,” he said. “They don’t have [Greg] Slaughter, but if Japeth [Aguilar] plays, we’ll have a problem because his presence alone can provide additional encouragement.”

The Kings were without the 7-foot Slaughter (ankle sprain) and the 6-foot-10 Aguilar (pulled hamstring) in their first four games. Slaughter skipped Ginebra’s Dubai rematch with Rain or Shine to strengthen his foot, but coach Frankie Lim brought along Aguilar to increase their stunted ceiling.

An elastic band wrapped tightly around his right thigh to minimize muscle movement, Aguilar joined the Kings in a 60-minute workout, running sprints, doing laterals and shooting baskets.

Then he underwent extensive leg stretching exercises.

“Meron pang sakit pag naglo-long strides ako,” he said when asked about any existing pain.

Aguilar’s presence should be a huge lift for the Kings’ frontline, which has been alternating Dorian Peña, Dave Marcelo and Rodney Brondial at center spot. Still, Lim longs for his top center.

“Mahirap mawalan na malaki,” said Lim, who had to scramble after Slaughter twisted his ankle two days before the start of the third conference. “Nakaka-pressure yung defense sa mga tao sa labas dahil wala kaming inside presence. It will be a lot different pag andon si Japeth and Greg kasi meron na silang iniintindi sa ilalim.”

As with Guiao, Lim, who took over from Ato Agustin after the second conference Commissioner’s Cup, looks to get something started in this oil-rich Middle East desert oasis.

“Siyempre yung mga players naga-adjust pa sa ‘kin, pati ako naga-adjust din sa kanila; di madali e,” said Lim, who has calendared Slaughter’s return for May 31 in time for their game with San Miguel Beer. “But I expect some good things to happen sooner than later. Sana maumpisahan dito sa Dubai para maganda sa pagbalik namin.”

Ginebra edged ROS, 89-88, when they last played here three years ago. (WRJT)

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