The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are the PBA’s walking wounded. So far, key players Caelan Tiongson (hamstring issue) and Stanley Pringle (minor knee injury) have missed the team’s last five games, while Keith Datu missed the Elasto Painters’ 105-91 loss to the NLEX Road Warriors and will be sidelined for the remainder of PBA Season 50.
Big man Luis Villegas, meanwhile, has yet to see action for Rain or Shine and will be ready only by 2030, joked Yeng Guiao. Even veteran Beau Belga is on a minutes watch as the Elasto Painters are trying to make sure his vertigo issues don’t flare up again.
Needless to say, Rain or Shine needs bodies. It needs players. The good news, according to Guiao, is that both Caelan Tiongson and Stanley Pringle are just about ready to suit up again. In fact, the fiery tactician told PBA.ph that his two key stars are already putting shots up in practice—although they haven’t had any full-contact drills just yet.
Yeng Guiao Prefers to Hold Back Caelan Tiongson and Stanley Pringle
Curiously, Yeng Guiao prefers to keep Caelan Tiongson and Stanley Pringle on the shelf at least for one more game—Rain or Shine’s marquee matchup against the TNT Tropang 5G on Saturday at the Aquilino Q. Pimentel Jr. International Convention Center in Cagayan de Oro. Even so, Guiao won’t hold back the two if they feel good enough to play against the top team in the standings.
“Actually kung gusto ko, skip na rin nila yung next game namin [versus TNT],” Guiao said. “But it will be up to them. If they feel good on Saturday, we will play them. But if they don’t feel good, it’s okay for us to wait until they’re 100 percent.”
At 5-2, Guiao and his Elasto Painters might afford to wait out one more game in this case—especially if the tradeoff is getting Tiongson and Pringle fully healthy.
Gauntlet Stretch Run Awaits Rain or Shine
After that game against TNT, Guiao and his walking wounded will get a much-needed respite as the PBA takes a two-week break to give way to Gilas Pilipinas’ November window. With their next game scheduled on December 7, Rain or Shine will have as much as 21 days off to rest and recuperate for a gauntlet of a stretch run to end the eliminations:
- vs. Converge FiberXers (December 7 at Ynares Center Montalban)
- vs. Magnolia Hotshots (December 15 at Khalifa Sports City Stadium)
- vs. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (December 17 at Khalifa Sports City Stadium)
With that tough schedule, Guiao’s long-term view certainly makes sense. That’s because having Caelan Tiongson and Stanley Pringle fully fit against Converge, Magnolia, and Ginebra could surely help Rain or Shine.
