The Rain or Shine Elasto Painters got the job done on Wednesday against the Blackwater Bossing. In fact, it was practically a wire-to-wire victory for the Yeng Guiao-mentored squad.
But, at least twice in the game, the Bossing got to within striking distance, first getting to within six, 49-43, in the second quarter and to within seven, 66-59, in the third. But the Elasto Painters had an answer for every Blackwater uprising—until they were in full control come the final canto.
For Guiao, Rain or Shine’s lulls are simply part of the ebbs and flows of a basketball ball game. What matters to him is how his wards responded: They bounced back and got the lead back up.
Rain or Shine’s Resilience Is a Sign of Toughness, Says Guiao
The fiery mentor admitted in the postgame presser after the Rain or Shine-Blackwater encounter that he isn’t too concerned that his team is facing adversity in games. What concerns him, he said, is the response to the tough times.
“Hindi naman kasi nawawala ‘yung mga rough patches. Ang importante sa ‘kin, whenever you go through those, you’re not going to collapse or you’re now going to slide all the way down to a loss,” Guiao told reporters. “Pwedeng magka-rough patches pero nakakabalik ka or nakakabawi ka Kasi ganun talaga ang basketball. Dadaan ka talaga sa mga rough patches, but how do you react to those adversities?
So, how exactly does Guiao want his players to react? Put simply, he wants his players to be tougher than their toughest battles. He wants his players to rise above adversity. And it appears this current crop of Elasto Painters is starting to show that grit.
“Sa akin, [ang] tinitignan ko, kaya bang bumalik? Meron ba silang toughness to withstand those adversities? Nakikita ko nagkakaron na ng toughness ‘yung team namin,” Guiao pointed out.
That toughness will come in handy moving forward as Rain or Shine shoots for one of the top two seeds in the ongoing PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
