Rain or Shine not taking Mahindra lightly
AFTER getting badly beaten in its opening game Mahindra decided to add more firepower by adding Gary David and Rey Guevarra to its arsenal.
How quick the two new Floodbusters and the team’s eight other newcomers have adjusted to their system and one another would be had Wednesday when they take on Rain or Shine in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The Elasto Painters are gunning for a slot alongside idle solo leader Blackwater and would realize that if they follow up their 101-87 win over TNT KaTropa in their opening match last Wednesday.
Mahindra, on the other hand, is coming off a 75-97 manhandling from GlobalPort last Friday, a game which showed more time is needed to incorporate the new team members to shot-caller Chris Gavina’s system.
Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia is not one to use the Floodbusters’ first game as gauge, however.
“We can’t take Mahindra lightly,” said Garcia. “They have lots of new players trying to adapt to their system. They for sure made adjustments after their first game.”
But while Gavina’s main focus is on defense, management deemed it wise to shore up Mahindra’s offensive sock, leading to the enlistment of David and Guevarra, who were let go of San Miguel Beer and GlobalPort, respectively.
The Floodbusters’ latest move is one that gnaws at Garcia. “They have talented scorers and once you give them the confidence they would be hard to stop,” he said, adding: “We have to take advantage of them still trying to adapt to their system.”
No such problems in cohesion hound Rain or Shine, as could be gleaned in its opening game, where the likes of usual team stalwarts Jericho Cruz, Beau Belga, Gabe Norwood and Raymond Almazan led a balanced attack against TNT.
Even Gilas player Mike Tolomia and new acquisition Jay Washington did their share in limited minutes as the E-Painters hardly skipped a beat in their transition from the Yeng Guiao era.
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