No Drama

Jordan Clarkson, Pilipinas # 6
(Photo courtesy of Rappler.com)

Save for the pre-Asian Games run wherein it really felt like boardroom nerds just had to get themselves in the limelight somehow, this current edition and run of the Philippines' men's basketball team is exactly how we want our team: no frills, no TV specials (until after the job is done) and definitely no other name or brand but PILIPINAS shining through.

A no frills coach who surprisingly has been off-television character, saying all the right things and keeping most of his thoughts to himself. A team that has been forged by fire, reinforced by players with no hidden agendas (like a wishful thinking of maybe there are NBA scouts watching and that this could be their shot at the big time). And the whole PBA, suddenly in unison after their dirty laundry was brought out in the open (by design or not), united for a cause.

So please forgive us, SMART, Chooks-to-go, and whichever brand wants to be plastered on the jerseys.

Instant classic

Big Beau vs The Kraken
(Photo credit to the owner)

If last night's game between the San Miguel Beermen (7-1) and the Rain or Shine Elastopainters (5-3) were a preview of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals; then we are not going to raise any complaints (and that's not simply because we are RoS fans).

The game had all the elements of a classic: starpower, hot-shooting for both sides, physicality, taunting, bum calls that could've changed the outcome of the match-- and those are words to cover the regulation period at that! For the Beermen, they were led by the usual suspects: 3x PBA MVP Junemar Fajardo 25p 17r, 1x PBA MVP Arwind Santos 17p 15r 5a, Alex Cabagnot 14p 3r 3a with some much needed support from RR Garcia 17p and Yancy de Ocampo 12p.

The Elastopainters on the other hand did their usual thing of "spreading out the offense" with Jeff Chan 11p, Chris Tiu 13p, Beau Belga 14p, Maverick Ahanmisi 9p and Dexter Maiquez 8p. Surprisingly misfiring was Jericho Cruz, but we'd like to give the Beermen credit for starting the game with defensive specialist Chris Ross on Cruz right away.

Just a few game notes:

Quoting Mark Twain

#TheFaceThatRunsThePlace
(photo credit: sports5.ph)

"The reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."

When the Rain or Shine Elastopainters received 2x PBA MVP James Yap and former PBA Finals MVP Jay Washington in separate deals, it was met largely with criticisms and doubt. After all, we are talking about two legitimate PBA superstars who have probably seen their best days behind them.

Yes they are old, but they sure as hell aren't dead.

Washington, in four games, is averaging a solid 23m 7p 8r while Yap, who had to sit out RoS' first game, isn't far behind with 20m 12p 4r. There are a lot of guys who actually play more minutes than these two "elder statesmen" that do not even average anything close to those numbers.

Now that's impressive.

Come Rain or Shine

Southern Sharpshooters
(Photo credit to the owner)

What now, Rain or Shine Elastopainters?

First, Coach Yeng Guiao opted to bolt for the NLEX Road Warriors which basically offered him the real difference between an RoS “max contract” and that of a well-financed team. No, there was no under the table scheming here and there. Only an opportunity for Guiao to work on other things “outside of the basketball court” such as handling NLEX’s Corporate Social Responsibility program which would most likely help him win (back) a political seat in the future.

Second was JayR Quinahan, this season’s most consistent player and leading scorer at times, being dealt to Globalport Batang Pier for Jay Washington. The beefy forward reinvented himself this season, in hopes of securing a longer deal perhaps, averaging 14 and 7 as compared to Washington's 8 and 8. When the negotiating period came, both sides couldn't agree on the length and well, here we are now. We respect Washington's body of work, but Quinahan's intimidating defense and shot blocking will be missed.

Finally, came the biggest trade of them all: 27-year-old superstar guard Paul Lee for the “face of the PBA,” 34-year-old, 2x MVP James Yap.

Salamat Kots Yeng

Hanggang doon na lang pala.

2017 NLEX head coach
(Photo credit ABS CBN)

Nung huling conference, nung natapos yung nine-straight playoffs appearances ng Rain or Shine, bilang isang fan parang may mali kaming naramdaman. Kaka champion lang ng team namin noong PBA Commissioner's Cup, partida binuhat pa ng mga local yung import, pero bakit ganun, bakit ang asa balita e hindi pa nagsisipirmahan ng mga kontrata yung players?

Pati pala yung si Kots Yeng Guiao, hindi din pumirma.

Pumirma, pero para tapusin lang yung season. Hindi para mag extend ng isa o dalawa o tatlong taon. Lahat sila na core, sa pagkakaalam namin: Paul Lee, Gabe Norwood, Jericho Cruz, Beau Belga at JayR Quinahan. Damay din ata si Jeff Chan. Parang may kakaiba. Siguro alam na nung mga players, alam na din siguro ni Kots. Hanggang doon na lang yung samahan nila, at hanggang doon na lang yung kwento niya sa RoS na kanyang itinaguyod.

Our RoS story and what's next

Photo credit: Sports5.ph

Unless it has not been made any more obvious, we are Rain or Shine Elastopainters fans. Since Yeng Guiao took over the reins and imprinted his basketball philosophies on an otherwise fresh yet bland product. Our loyalty to RoS was further cemented of course, when they drafted Paul Lee in 2011.

The first title, in 2012, came at the expense of then San Mig Coffee Mixers (now STAR Hotshots) which was still trying to build chemistry with 1st year head coach Tim Cone. We can still remember pieces of that championship run, and though RoS has always played with grit and intensity, the championship was gift-wrapped for them by super import Jamelle Cornley who would also later on win the Best Import award.

How good was Cornley?

PBA CC Playoffs: 4 Ginebra vs 5 Rain or Shine

RISE
(Photo credit: PBA.inquirer.net)

This is going to be a slobber-knocker.

Rain or Shine, Yeng Guiao, Beau Belga-- they are all ghosts of Ginebra's colorful past. Their physical, bully-ball style, the psy-war that almost, always unnerves Ginebra's towering futures Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar, the way RoS just doesn't really give a rat's ass on how dirty you think they are playing, for as long as they get the victory.

That is how Ginebra basketball was played during Robert Jaworski, Sr.'s reign. That was how Pinoy basketball was played by all back in the day: down and dirty. Nothing fancy, just ugly and brutal.

"Kung ayaw mo masaktan, mag chess ka na lang."

PBAPC SF: 2 San Miguel vs 3 Rain or Shine

On the path to greatness
(Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net)

This semifinals encounter my friends, will not be for the weak of heart. While the other series between the Alaska Aces and GlobalPort Batang Pier will probably be high octane and flashy, this one will be for the grown-ups. Think of that series as John Cena, and this one as Brock Lesnar. Spice Girls and Mocha Girls. Ana Roces and Rosanna Roces.

You get the picture right?

Okay, from our perspective the only way for RoS to win versus SMB is for a repeat of their gameplan in the Elimination round which was to have their bigs play outside, their smalls, inside. It didn't matter to RoS head coach Yeng Guiao if Beau Belga, Raymond Almazan and JayR Quinahan were missing from deep. All that matters was that Junemar Fajardo kept over extending himself all the way to the outside leaving Arwind Santos all by his lonesome in protecting the paint versus RoS' big-bodied guards Jericho Cruz and Maverick Ahanmisi.

PBAPC QF2: 3 Rain or Shine vs 6 Talk n Text

Baptism of Fire for Troy and Mo
(Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net)

Here we go again.

The Rain or Shine Elastopainters, perennial contenders ever since Yeng Guiao took over the coaching reins, are headed for a collision course with forever tormentors Talk’n’Text Tropang Texters in the 2nd phase of the PBA Philippine Cup Quarterfinals . We say that, because even before these two teams met in last season’s seven-game PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals thriller (which the Texters won at the expense , they have already been running right smack at one another with  the Elastopainters always on the losing end.

We are RoS fans, so we know the history. For as long as Guiao has made RoS “perennial contenders,” the door is almost always closed on them if TnT happens to be in their way—be it in the Finals, Semis or Quarters. In LOTR parlance, think of Tnt as Gandalf saying “YOU SHALL NOT PASS!”

Over and over and over and over again.

PBAPC16 QF: 3 Rain or Shine vs 10 Blackwater

Photo credit to PBA.Inquirer.net

Talk about having to go through a Rite of Passage for the Blackwater Elite: though they just earned their first playoff appearance in their young franchise history, they find themselves with a twice-to-beat disadvantage versus perennial title contenders, the Rain or Shine Elastopainters.

Elite head coach Leo Isaac will need to squeeze all he can from main guys Carlo Lastimosa (23mpg 16ppg 3rpg 2apg), JP Erram (26mpg 12ppg 9rpg), Art dela Cruz (22mpg 11ppg 4rpg), Reil Cervantes (19mpg 9ppg 3rpg) and whoever among Raphy Reyes, Keith Agovida and Jason Melano are up to the challenge of locking horns with a physical RoS group.

Crown Jewel

Kumpyansa goes a long way
(Photo credit to the owner)

Credit Rain or Shine Elastopainters' head coach for turning another almost lost PBA career around.

He did it for the likes of Beau Belga and JayR Quinahan who pre-RoS were surely on their way out of the PBA as teams were looking for mobile, athletic bigs. He had a hand in the development of now legit PBA household names Cyrus Baguio, Larry Fonacier and Jeffrei Chan, turning them from good to great while other players of their caliber (the Baguio types: Val Acuna and PJ Cabahug, the Chan/Fonacier: John Wilson, Jimbo Aquino are dealing with life being in and out of the league/ glued to the bench).

Add RoS' new resident big man, 6"5 Jewel Ponferada, to the list.

The Right Mix

RoS is Jericho
(Photo credit to the owner)

Don't look now, but the Rain or Shine Elastopainters are starting to look every bit like PBA Philippine Cup Finals favorites even minus credited ace player Paul Lee.

Currently sitting pretty with a 4 wins versus 1 loss record (which could have easily been a clean slate had it not been for Global Port Batang Pier's rising phenom Stanley Pringle's buzzer-beating lay-up), Yeng Guiao's boys are playing excellent team basketball which comes at opponents in waves. Previously, RoS always had a problem getting into a rhythm or sustaining leads thanks to their ever-changing rotations. One quarter they are ahead, next, guys look lost waiting for whoever feels like taking charge or is hot.

Now?

They are just working together and covering for one another, with nary a soul putting on a look of disgust whenever a guy opts for a heat check unlike other teams.

Take the shot if it is there. The RoS guys actually get into one another's ears only when an open player opts to pass instead of taking the shot. They are that comfy and at ease as a unit, even towards the rookies.

Make or break

"Paul, sa ... maganda daw yung perks"
(Photo credit to the woner)

There is a storm coming.

Allow us to speak on a more personal level, being Rain or Shine Elastopainters fans and all since the Yeng Guiao era (established in 2011). Paul Lee is on the final year of his two-year contract extension. We saw how his manager openly batted that another one of his wards, Roi Sumang, be picked by RoS if only to have them play together buddy-ball style. RoS didn't. They passed on it. They picked an insurance policy in case Lee takes his talents elsewhere in 3rd overall pick Maverick Ahanmisi. Sumang? Pass. Pass. Pass.

Then, RoS barred Lee from playing for Gilas 3.

Don't think that that little incident is all water under the bridge now.

Jeffrei Chan, another Gilas player, was also not allowed to suit up.

Something's amiss.

Life at the crossroads

Is Almazan the future for RoS?
(Photo credit: Sports5.Ph)

Before we begin, we would like to share with you a piece of trivia from Takehiko Inoue's Slam Dunk manga about a team that made it into the Inter-High competition. No, we will not touch on Shohoku's triumphs but rather the team that they first faced in the IH-- Toyotama.

In the series, Toyotama is a rough and tough team from the Osaka prefecture. They were known for their run and gun offense, which helped them through the years with previous head coach Kitano Jiei. Problem is, making it into the Inter High and finishing in the Top 8 was as high as the team could go for years and years until Coach Jiei was removed in favor of a defensive minded coach.

Let's stop with the trivia right there, and switch to real life, PBA action.

The Rain or Shine Elastopainters under head coach Yeng Guiao has continued to be quite the competitive squad in the PBA. They've made at least 1 PBA Finals appearance in the last three or four seasons, and have almost always finished deep in the Playoffs before bowing out to some Team SMC/ MVP super group. They employ a run and gun strategy, anchored on hard-nosed rough and tough defense but not the Xs and Os type.

PBA GC SF: (2) San Miguel vs (3) Rain or Shine

JMF and AZ are going to be
tough to handle in the paint for RoS
(Photo credit to Sports5.Ph)

In-season na ba magtanim ng strawberries?

Here's the deal: Rain or Shine lost to San Miguel, 91-104, in the eliminations despite having awesome performances from Wendel McKines (19 points, 10 rebounds), Jericho Cruz (11 p), Gabe Norwood (12 p) JR Quinahan (12 p) AND Paul Lee (17 p 6 r 3 assists). How did the Beermen do it? Arizona Reid (36 p 11), Junemar Fajardo (22 p 18 r) and a little bit of everything from everyone else.

That was in the Eliminations. When Marcio Lassiter was being hounded by trade rumors and wasn't at his very best. Now? We just saw Lassiter mercilessly drill three ball after three ball to bury the Meralco Bolts and lead the team into this very same Semifinals match that we're trying to break down.

Sure, RoS has Jeffrei Chan back. But what and who is a three-point specialist like Chan when compared to a two-way player like Lassiter (IMHO arguably the best today)?

As an RoS fan, please let us speak in a more honest tone for this "analysis."

Dear Beau

(Photo courtesy of Sports5.ph)

Idol, kamusta ka na?

Sana mabuti ang kalagayan mo matapos yung matinding bugbugan nung nakaraang PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals. May dinadaing ka ba na injury? Nagiba kasi yung laro mo matapos yung Ginebra SMASH game. Parang lumugar ka lang bigla ulit, nawala yung idol namin. Papitik pitik, pasundot sundot, pero halos hindi naramdaman. Sa Finals? Habang naghahari yung pagkalaki laking import ng TNT at minamama yung mga kakampi mo, ikaw yung inaasahan ng Bayan ng RoS na reresbak para sa amin.

Pero asaan ka ba nun?

One out of five

#BayanNgRoS

One championship in five tries, that is.

With yesterday's heart-breaking Game 7 loss to eventual PBA Commissioner's Cup titlist Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters, the Rain or Shine Elastopainters are left with an unfortunate dilemma moving forward:

Should they make a trade and possibly break-up the core, or should they keep it together for another try?

PBACC The Finals So Far

Angas ng Tondo
(Photo credits to the owner)

The PBA Commissioner's Cup Best-of-Seven Finals between the Rain or Shine Elastopainters and the Talk'n'Text Tropang Textes has been highly physical thus far in three games, but surprisingly much of the action (and brutality) has come from the once "cookie-cutter" Texters' side of things.

Up two games to one, the Elastopainters have been on the receiving end of some unfortunate hits from Texters' import Ivan Johnson. In Game 1, which they lost 92-99, spitfire backup guard Jonathan Uyloan suffered an injury when he took a hit from Johnson. Last night, it was Paul Lee's turn when he was inadvertently hit by a wayward Johnson elbow right smack on the mouth-- resulting in him losing a tooth and 3 more  that's been pushed back into his gums.

Ouch.

When was the last time we ever heard news of the Texters dishing out pain and physicality towards their opponents? Isn't that the Elastopainters' calling card? Their bread-and-butter? Their actual, field of concentration?

It's going to get ugly from here on out.

PBACC The Finals: Rain or Shine vs Talk'n'Text

The Blur vs Angas ng Tondo
(Photo credits to the owner)

It was but only a matter of time before the Rain or Shine Elastopainters and Talk'n'Text Tropang Texters met anew in a stage as big as the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals.

And we are not saying that simply because they finished one (RoS) and two (TNT) at the end of the conference's Elimination round. No, we are saying that because of the simple fact that both teams feature the most number of players that were loaned to the Gilas Pilipinas basketball program: Ranidel de Ocampo, Jayson Castro, Larry Fonacier, now team manager Jimmy Alapag and (at one point) Kelly Williams for TNT and Paul Lee, Gabe Norwood, Jeffrei Chan and Beau Belga for RoS.

Which basically means that we will get to see how far the above-mentioned players have come, thanks to the extended, rigorous and taxing international training and exposure that they have all enjoyed. Though TNT enjoys a slight advantage of course, since their brain thrust (coaching staff, managers, scouts, etc.) ARE Gilas Pilipinas.

And though we are proud RoS fans, we will try our very best to breakdown the series and come up with a logical and reasonable fearless forecast.

Let's go:

Make it Rain (or Shine)

He's got the whole world, in his hands
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

While other teams thrive on running complicated sets, system and Xs and Os, it seems as though the Rain or Shine Elastopainters have found a winning formula that appears to be, on paper, simpler:

Familiarity.

You cannot argue with results, as the team is now on the verge of its 5th PBA Finals appearance since head coach Yeng Guiao took over in 2011. The core of the team remains the same: built through high draft picks with the longest tenured being Jireh Ibanes (drafted in 2006) followed by the 2008 pair of Gabe Norwood and TY Tang. After that, they kept building through picks and some under-the-radar trades (they were busiest during the early Guiao years) that has built what is now known as the RoS' brand of basketball.

Fun, fast and physical.