The Blueprint

Photo credit: ESPN.com

In 2008, Gilas Pilipinas was officially unveiled by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) led by some of the country's most optimistic and brilliant basketball minds. They recruited top college basketball stars led by Chris Tiu and JVee Casio, they sought out foreign-based prodigies like Marcio Lassiter and Chris Lutz, and offered a home for the then NBA-seeking 6"9 wunderkind Japeth Aguilar.

They also brought in Rajko Toroman, fresh from helping reshape the Iranian Men's Basketball Team into an Asian Basketball Powerhouse, to serve as the team's initial head coach. The team was backed by SBP and SMART Telecommunications, Inc., which meant that it did not have to reach out to the Philippine Basketball Association, its' teams, or the many "Godfathers" if you will, since they already have a big time player in the mix, one, Mr. Manny V. Pangilinan.

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.

The Ginebra Blueprint (Part 2)

Team continuity and good looks help too.
(Photo credit to the owner)

(... continued)

Here’s a rundown of the PBA teams who could try to be like Ginebra/ build a fanbase like Ginebra (if they haven't already):

Alaska – they almost came close to becoming the new Ginebra until Management decided to pull in the reins a bit and go back to their identity as prim and proper, clean-cut subdivision basketball players (aided by a few trabahador imports, of course).

Blackwater, Phoenix, Mahindra – young franchises who; if they play their cards right and not be involved in lopsided deals, could build on young, proven collegiate talent + established veteran names who are looking for one last shot at the limelight, could  go somewhere. Manny Pacquiao's popularity certainly gave Mahindra a bit of an early lead though.

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?

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.

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?

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.

PBACC The Quarterfinals: Rain or Shine vs Barangay Ginebra

Angas ng Tondo vs The Spark
(Photo courtesy of Inquirer.net)

For all intents and purposes, there is definitely no love lost in this quarterfinals pairing of the number 1 seeded Rain or Shine Elastopainters, which enjoys a twice to beat advantage, and the 8th seeded Barangay Ginebra San Miguel.

The Elastopainters are the league's hottest team, with arguably the most consistent performance in his young career EVER from star guard Paul Lee, while Ginebra just keep on losing winnable games much to the dismay of their fans. There's also the whole "L.A. Tenorio tantrum watch" -- you know, when the man tasked to lead the Ginebra faithful to glory stomps his foot, makes that stink face and just brushes off everyone on the floor including his own coaches and teammates.

Can Ginebra do it?

Yes, they can.

Will they be able to do it?

Come Rain or Shine (A Fan Commentary)

Beau Belga or not, Yeng Guiao needs
to take a look at Jervy Cruz in 2014
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

This was supposed to be the year that the Rain or Shine Elastopainters, led by the bullish (he's not as temperamental as before though) Yeng Guiao, were able to break through the glass ceiling.

Why wouldn't they? They were coming off a hard-earned and well-fought for PBA Governor's Cup 2012 championship, three of their starters were "good enough" to crack the prestigious Gilas Pilipinas national team pool and they were going to have the reigning PBA Rookie of the Year Paul Lee back for the season after his debut got cut short by injuries.

PBA 2012 Draft: The Do-Over

What if teams were able to make a do-over?
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

And so we have come to the (near) end of another great professional basketball season for Philippine hoops: the country (behind some of its best, pro-players) was able to re-establish itself as a contender in the region, all the concerned basketball parties are in (or at the very least, seem to be) in unison and new names have come out of the collegiate and amateur ranks that will carry the winning tradition and proud Filipino fighting heart for the next decade or so.

Here we rank the 2012 PBA Draftees (1st round plus some promising names) based on how well they have performed this season (and going forward) vis-a-vis the team that should've/ could've picked them if they were able to go back in time. 

1 Petron - Calvin Abueva 

51 g 26.41 m 12.25 p 9.37 r 1.82 a 

The numbers, the minutes, the intensity-- it speaks for itself. At a modest 6"1 1/2 we dare you to name us anyone of the same height the last five years who can put up the same numbers AND change the tempo/ mood/ feel of the game simply by checking in OFF THE BENCH. As loaded as Petron is, you just cannot argue with talent and heart. You don't pass up on a guy like this, you make room for him and trade away the others to fill in whatever hole you have. Yeah. The Beast is here to stay, ROY-MVP or not.

2012 PBA Draft pick order: 2nd, Alaska

A Gargantuan Task

Beat Petron? Tall task for RoS
(Photo courtesy of Sports5)

The Rain or Shine Elastopainters and their fiery mentor Yeng Guiao are in a bind.

Down 0-2 in their PBA Governor’s Cup Semifinals matchup against powerhouse Petron Blaze Boosters, the Elastopainters are finding it difficult to defend the crown they won a season ago behind a roster of no-names and journeymen. Forget that the games have been surprisingly close until maybe a late 4th quarter breakaway (Boosters’ Elijah Milsap going HAM in Game 1), the Elastopainters are one win away from being eliminated.

And it seems that there’s just nothing they can do about it.

Finals Rematch, Finals Preview

Amoy rematch.
(Photo courtesy of PBA InterAKTV)

In a rematch of last PBA Governor's Cup Finals, the defending champions Rain or Shine Elastopainters hacked out a gritty 79-75 win over now "rivals" San Mig Coffee Mixers.

It got testy, chippy, physical and had that feel of a PBA Finals. Beau Belga, recently cheered by thousands- millions of Filipinos, was welcomed back to the loving arms of PBA fans with a resounding chorus of boos after a series of, well, classic Belga defensive plays. James Yap had fans screaming, but Chris Tiu had his supporters at the SM Mall of Asia Arena just the same.

Rounding out the Gilas 12

No Kelly? Bring in Arwind.

Kelly Williams. Jared Dillinger. Sonny Thoss.

Of the initial 15-man Gilas Pilipinas pool released by the Philippines' men's basketball team head coach Chot Reyes, only 12 remain standing. Not because they were the shoo-ins or favorites to make the spot, but because after potentially having what seemed to be the greatest frontline combination in the history of Philippine basketball Gilas finds itself short of three key players.

There's former PBA Most Valuable Player Kelly Williams whose rare combination of size, speed and athleticism on both ends of the floor make him the ideal partner for Gilas anchor Marcus Douthit as a weak side rebounder and help defender (Ranidel de Ocampo comes in more for offense). Unfortunately, Williams' battle with a rare blood disorder has put him on the sidelines (indefinitely we hope) so there's that.

PBA 2012 Draft: More busts than stars?

Is "The Muscle" too small to dominate the PBA?

While this year's PBA Draft will go down in history as the Year of the Fajardo/Abueva (depending on which camp you happen to be cheering for), it should be noted that of the 39 players selected (in an eye-popping 6 round draft thanks to Barangay Ginebra San Miguel's binge shopping for point guards), only a handful are still in the league and about five to six of them to actually be relevant.

On top are Petron's Junemar Fajardo, the first overall pick, inconsistent but very mobile and impressive for a guy his size and Alaska's Calvin Abueva, a sure lock for the year's top Rookie prize given his impact on his team and how he is able to carry his "beastly" game over to the pros with relative ease (and how he's managed to get in the heads of a lot of veterans when it's supposed to be the other way around).

After those guys, it's really a toss up on who else is going to be a star or at the very least-- "useful" for his team in the long run.

Why Beau Belga is an All Star

2x PBA MVP and.. the All Star

When was the last time that you really found it in your heart to cheer for the bad guy?

Denzel Washington in Training Day? Wreck-it-Ralph before he turned over a new leaf? Cruela DeVille or that villainess from The Devil Wears Prada (for our female readers)? How about in the Philippine Basketball Association-- have you ever really cheered for the bruisers, the enforcer: the guy who's brought into the game to dish out fouls faster than a  food attendant on a McDonald's freebie breakfast burger day?

For the record, the Rain or Shine Elastopainters' beefy center Beau Belga has logged in career averages of 6 points and 5 rebounds in almost 21 minutes of burn since being drafted 7th overall by Purefoods in 2008. He's never averaged in double figures and would probably be the last guy most PBA Fantasy Team owners would want to take into their rosters.

Nothing but bricks for Elasto Painters

Jeff Chan needs to find his touch

When the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters started turning heads last season, it wasn't only because of fearless rookie Paul Lee, Jeffrei Chan turning into the new Allan Caidic, the blatant rugged style of play or Gabe Norwood's string of polarizing performances. The team won so much because guys were making shots. This season, the team still finds themselves in the middle of the hunt (currently sitting pretty with a 5-3 mark that could've easily been 6-2) but missing arguably their most treasured asset.

The three-ball.

So far, this team is chucking up way too many shots from downtown and not converting. The usual suspect, Chan, is coming off an injury from his shooting hand so he has a valid excuse. The same cannot be said however for sweet-shooting bigs Beau Belga and JayR Quinahan who appear to be holding back on their gunslinging ways and opting to play closer to the basket (where they're not as effective on offence despite their hulking frames).

Room for Tiu

Mabait, pero mabagsik

We would like to think that we've successfully come to peace with our testosterone-driven insecurities in relation to the Rain or Shine Elastopainters' prized pitchman/ rookie Chris Tiu. After all, he is playing for our favorite team, under the tutelage of our favorite coach, and devoid of any diva mentality rampant among most of this era's TV-basketball stars.

So allow us to once again write about Tiu, his recent heroics and how he continues to open our hearts and minds to the fact that underneath the good looks, ever-flowing charm and unwavering charisma that wins over even the most rabid of James Yap and even die-hard Ginebra fans lies a ruthless competitor who puts his team before himself all for the sake of the coveted "W."

Tiu has been playing a lot of combo guard for the Elastopainters under head coach Yeng Guiao, earning 17 minutes a night and averaging 5 points, 2 rebounds and 2 assists which are paltry at best but it's the little things he does on the court that has proven to be invaluable. Also, Tiu did have those two games first versus Yap and the rest of San Mig Coffee wherein he tallied a superstar-like 15 points and 8 assists and then just yesterday afternoon when Tiu put his "clutch" cap on and drained threes and make plays enough to help his team win in a hotly contested battle versus GlobalPort.

Don't Cry for Rain or Shine

Tiu-torial's now in session
Photo courtesy of Interaksyon.com)

As painful as being swept from the PBA Philippine Cup Finals may seem, the Rain or Shine Elastopainters and their ever-growing fanbase should not feel sorry for themselves. While others were caught off guard by the way this team was blatantly man-handled by the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters in four games, don't forget that this is still an over-achieving roster that doesn't feature household names as compared to 8 of the 10 teams in the league.

We say that because truthfully, even the hapless and rebuilding GlobalPort Batang Pier has established stars like Willie Miller and Gary David on the fold. This team? They have the all-around 10-5-5 guy Gabe Norwood, followed by two young studs who are still trying to make a name for themselves in reigning PBA Rookie of the Year Paul Lee and streak shooter Jeffrei Chan. The rest of the guys on the roster wouldn't even make a Team SMC or MVP rotation-- rising Jervy Cruz included (undersized power forwards don't make waves anymore in the PBA unless they're a hybrid like Alaska's Calvin Abueva).

So what's next for the Elastopainters following the blowout?

Whatever happened to Paul Lee

Asan na ung Angas ng Tondo?

Basketball is a team sport, it is not played by any certain individual no matter how dominant he may be on the hard court. A guy can score 100 points, average 50 for his career and still have only about a handful of rings while other, lesser talented individuals win more than you have fingers (Wilt Chamberlain: Bill Russel). There are times however, when these "superstars" stand out just because of what they can do and how others need to adjust to them.

For the San Mig Coffee Mixers, there's James Carlos Yap. The 2x PBA MVP who has become so unparalleled that it took a highly-motivated, vastly improved Jireh Ibanes of the Rain or Shine Elastopainters (with some help from today's "loose" PBA officiating that allows holds, grabs, bumps and what not) to keep him at bay (not even stop him, just enough to keep him from blowing up and dropping 30 points). Yap has been the barometer for his team in the on-going series between the Mixers and Elastopainters. When he's off, they lose, and the only time they won with him having an awful game (Game 5), it took a concerted effort among his teammates to do so.