Message to Texters: We’ll reign, shine
Game tomorrow (MOA Arena) 7 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Talk n Text
After three runner-up finishes the last two years, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are optimistic they’re wiser, better and ready to go all the way to win a PBA crown.
And with a good rest and good preparation they’ve got on their perfect run from the quarterfinals, coach Yeng Guiao feels the Elasto Painters are in great shape to beat the Talk n Text Tropang Texters in the opener of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven title playoff at 7 p.m. tomorrow at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.
Reign and shine – that’s Rain or Shine’s end goal in the tourney. And Guiao is convinced they have a good chance to do it.
“We’ve made a fifth finals in nine conferences. But this is the most healthy we are in these all five finals. That in itself is a good indication,” said Guiao also noting where the Texters are right now in their rebuilding process.
“Talk n Text is in a transition period right now from the Alapag era to the Jayson Castro era. Once the transition is completed, Talk n Text will be almost invincible. In the meantime, there’s still probably a chink in their armor,” Guiao said.
The two teams had a previous best-of-seven title showdown that the Texters won via a sweep. Then the Elasto Painters had two more finals losses versus the Purefoods Star Hotshots last year.
But no one will dispute that the E-Painters are now a better team.
“We’ve lost a lot of games against Talk n Text. We’ve had a hard time handling them. But we’ve improved,” said Guiao.
“Paul Lee is consistent. Raymond Almazan is contributing on offense and defense. Chris Tiu and Jericho Cruz are welcome additions,” Guiao pointed out. “On the side of Talk n Text, they don’t have Alapag anymore; no more Jared Dillinger who posed a lot of problem for us before because of his ruggedness. They’re also missing Ryan Reyes.”
To many, this may really be a series for Rain or Shine to win.
“We’re fed up just being the runners-up,” said Beau Belga.
“We believe this is our best chance to win. And we might as well go for it,” said Paul Lee.
Failing to get past the semifinals last year, Wayne Chism is aching to go all the way to deliver the crown for the E-Painters.
Talk n Text import Ivan Johnson has the same thing in mind, though.
“That’s what I came here for,” said Johnson, hitting great strides in the PBA while his former team the Atlanta Hawks does the same in the NBA.