For the second straight conference, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters were able to make the semifinal round of the Philippine Basketball Association.
Since Yeng Guiao returned to coach the franchise that he led to two league championships, the Elasto Painters were able to reach the playoffs four of the last five conferences, including two semifinals runs. The team is now on the verge of establishing another run of semifinal appearances and this early, indications are very encouraging this young team is headed towards the right direction.
Such winning reputation was also established by the veteran bench tactician when he first joined the squad in 2011 where he steered the team to title runs in the 2011-2012 Governors’ Cup and the 2016 Commissioner’s Cup, not to mention the string of 11 semifinals runs in 13 conferences.
Rain or Shine’s formula was plain and simple — use the annual Rookie Draft as a way to build up its squad and keep a young core that could play together for a long stretch.
Guiao believes there’s no short cut to success with the path they’ve had gone through. It takes time to develop a solid, young unit designed on not relying on anyone, but everyone, and so far, the Elasto Painters had made quite a good reputation, beating powerhouse teams like San Miguel Beer, Ginebra and TNT.
Last conference, the Elasto Painters defeated the Tropang Giga in three games of their best-of-three quarterfinals series to advance to the Final Four. It was a good way to build up for the future even after Rain or Shine got devoured by a league lion in San Miguel Beer in the semifinal round.
This conference, Rain or Shine was able to crack the semifinals anew, but to get here, the Elasto Painters need to get past another perennial title contender in Magnolia in a grueling five-game series.
Now Guiao and his young troops are priming themselves up for the next bigger challenge as they take on defending champion TNT Tropang Giga, who are eager to get some sort of a payback against the team which defeated them last conference.
In the Commissioner’s Cup last season, TNT was forced to parade Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in a tournament that has an import not taller than 6-foot-9 since there was no Governors’ Cup slated to give way for the Philippines’ participation in the FIBA World Cup and the Asian Games.
Hollis-Jefferson couldn’t finish the conference and had to be replaced by his brother, Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson, who fell short of leading the Tropang Giga in getting past the Elasto Painters. The rematch between the Tropang Giga and the Elasto Painters is expected to be an exciting showdown with two teams looking to change the course of their future.
But for the Elasto Painters, it’s also a great opportunity on measuring their resolve at how far they could go.
They’ve already earned the respect of the PBA — the teams, the fans and the basketball purists in general — anchored on their young core composed of young stars Andrei Caracut, sophomore standout Adrian Nocum and the team’s latest success story, Jhonard Clarito.
The inclusion of rookies Caelan Tiongson and Felix Pangilinan-Lemetti and import Aaron Fuller certainly added more depth to the already unpredictable Elasto Painters, who had displayed an entertaining a fast-pace brand of basketball. Their addition had given Guiao the luxury of digging deeper to his bench as guys like Leonard Santillan, Anton Asistio, sophomore player Keith Datu, Shaun Ildefonso and veteran players like Beau Belga, Gabe Norwood and Mark Borboran, can be preserved, be kept fresh anytime and be more ready whenever their numbers are called.
This is the second coming of the Elasto Painters and it appears that they’re here to add a new chapter to a developing exciting story.
We can only brace ourselves for the exciting conclusion.
