RAIN or Shine is on course for its immediate goal and hopes to stay right on track when it battles a Magnolia side aching to snap out of its slide Wednesday in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
A third straight win would give the Elasto Painters a 3-1 record and closer to its target of finishing the year among the upper echelon of the standings but must first hurdle a Hotshots crew out to check their three-game skid that dropped them to a 1-3 slate.
"Bago sana mag-Pasko manalo pa kami para masaya Pasko," Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao offered after his squad followed up its rout of Eastern with an equally emphatic win over San Miguel Beer, the last via a 107-93 count.
"Meron talaga kaming hinahabol na number of wins bago mag-Pasko," added Guiao, whose team closes out the year against Terrafirma on Sunday before next seeing action on Jan. 8.
"Kaya lang malalakas pa rin iyung makakalaban namin," noted Guiao, specifically citing Magnolia.
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"May rivalry na rin kami, may history kami. Nakalaban namin sila sa quarterfinals. Hirap na hirap kami. Kung talunin kami ng Magnolia tambakan, pero manalo kami sa kanila konti lang," related Guiao.
"So parang kabisado nila laro namin. Kaya nilang maglaro ng mabilis, meron silang mga beterano na dependable. So mabigat na laban iyung Magnolia," Guiao also said.
Rain or Shine did win that matchup in the last Governors Cup. However, Guiao still expects Magnolia to be more than a handful, especially if Ricardo Ratliffe comes up with an all-around game and Paul Lee and Zavier Lucero return as expected to boost the Hotshots.
Lee suffered a rib contusion in the 91-93 loss to Converge and missed the games against NorthPort and TNT which the Hotshots both lost by a combined seven points. For his part, Lucero sat out the Tropang Giga game last week due to some knee issues.
Guiao is more focused on Ratliffe and how his own import in Deon Thompson fares in their matchup.
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"Tingin ko slow starter lang iyung si Ratliffe. Hindi siya yung heavy scorer, pero maaasahan mo na malaki impact niya sa laro kahit hindi siya masyadong umi-score," said Guiao.
"Ang maganda naman, kabisado rin siya ni Deon dahil magkakampi iyan sa Korea (for Busan KCC Egis). Champion sila, sila magkakampi. So I think medyo magandang matchup 'yun, very interesting matchup iyon." (NC)
