Rain or Shine makes Commissioner’s Cup debut vs Star

The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, fresh from another Final Four showing, make their debut in the Oppo PBA Commissioner Cup by taking on old rival the Star Hotshots in a Petron Blaze Saturday Special at the Philsports Arena.

Tip off is at 5:15 p.m. with the Elasto Painters again showing up with Wayne Chism in tow.

“Chism is okay. He arrived early and he came in game shape. He didn’t gain weight. He’s really like his old self,” said Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao of their returning reinforcement, winner of the Best Import award in the previous Commissioner’s Cup.

Chism and his teammates, however, have to step up with Paul Lee and Jeff Chan out on injuries at least in the first two weeks of the tourney.

Lee, still recuperating from a knee injury, and Chan, nursing an injury to his elbow, won’t be ready to play until March.

The recovery of Raymond Almazan and Jericho Cruz from their own health problems provides the Elasto Painters some relief.

In their first game after a third-place finish in the Philippine Cup, the E-Painters will be up against the Hotshots whom Guiao considers among the tough playoff contenders in the tourney.

“The Hotshots with their old import Denzel Bowles, siguradong laban yan,” said Guiao.

The Hotshots dominated the Meralco Bolts through the first three quarters before tapering off and subsequently suffering an 86-90 loss on opening day.

“The talent in that team is there. Basically, it’s just a matter of getting used to their new coach and new system. Once they settle down, the ability and the potential of the team will come out. The first conference was just feeling out. They can now be judged on their true worth,” Guiao said.

A conference removed under the tutelage of coach Tim Cone, the Hotshots barely made the playoff play last conference and didn’t go deep, eliminated by the Ginebra Kings in the quarters.

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