Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao is searching for answers after his squad’s four-game winning streak came to an abrupt halt, falling 129-111 to Barangay Ginebra in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium. The Elasto Painters struggled to find any rhythm after the Gin Kings built a commanding early advantage on Friday, leaving the team to evaluate what went wrong during the extended break.
“They just shot the ball too well. The three-point shooting and the four-point shooting were too good. We started out badly,” Guiao said after emerging from a lengthy locker room meeting.
The lopsided setback dropped Rain or Shine out of the top spot in Group B. The team is now running tied for second with Phoenix at 4-3 with three matches remaining in the group phase.
First-Quarter Struggles and Shooting Deficit
Rain or Shine failed to recover from a dismal opening period that dictated the remainder of the contest. Guiao pointed directly to the game’s initial minutes as the turning point.
“We lost the game in the first quarter. That’s when our trajectory was really downhill. I don’t know if it’s the long break. We’re coming off a four-game winning streak and I was a little worried about our condition before the game. Did we do enough in the break to keep ourselves in good shape, or at least in the proper frame of mind?” Guiao remarked.
The coach admitted that mental preparation may have played a significant role in the sluggish start. “I think it’s a bit of a mental thing. We fell into that mental trap. We started out badly and we couldn’t recover from that,” he added.
Group Standings and Tightening Race
Following Friday’s results, the standings in Group B have tightened considerably. Rain or Shine dropped closer to Barangay Ginebra and Blackwater, sharing fourth and fifth at 3-4.
With the group stage winding down, the Elasto Painters face a demanding schedule to secure their spot in the next phase of the season-ending conference. Guiao emphasized the urgency required for their upcoming assignments.
“I think we need to win at least two of the last three games to make the next round. I think that’s really what’s important,” Guiao stated. “But the window is closing. The window is closing. We need to win our next game.”
Upcoming Schedule for Rain or Shine
The Elasto Painters return to the floor on Oct. 17 to face Blackwater, marking the start of a busy stretch to close out the initial phase of the conference.
Following the clash with Blackwater, Rain or Shine will square off against Magnolia on Oct. 21. Their group stage schedule concludes with a rescheduled meeting against Phoenix on Oct. 23.
