THE pressure may be on, but Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao vows to bring the same gung-ho spirit the team has been known for when it represents the country in the 42nd Jones Cup.
"Tingnan natin. I feel baka maka-disgrasya tayo ng ilang teams doon," said Guiao about the Elasto Painters' campaign in the August 12-20 meet at the Taipei Heping basketball gymnasium.
"But we will represent the country the best way that we can."
The first Jones Cup competition in three years is definitely stacked up, with national teams of Iran, Qatar, United Arab Emirates, and the host country (Teams A and B) among those seing action.
There's also the U-21 team of Japan, the University of California, Irvine of the US, and Korean Basketball League (KBL) and EASL (East Asia Super League) champion Anyang KGC led by former NBA player Omari Spellman.
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Ironically, the Philippines was the last champion team of the meet being held in honor of former long-time FIBA secretary-general William Jones, when it was represented by Mighty Sports in 2019 led by imports Renaldo Balkman, Eugene Phelps, Hamady N'Diaye, Mckenzie Moore, Zach Graham, and Fil-Ams Mikey Williams, Jeremiah Gray, Jason Brickman, and Roosevelt Adams.
Mighty Sports completed an eight-game sweep of the tournament before it was cancelled for the next three years due to COVID-19 pandemic.
"Ang mahirap dito may pressure nga dahil yung previous team (natin) before the pandemic pa, nag-champion. Kaya lang nakita naman natin lima yata yung import nila," said Guiao in the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum. "So yung sa atin talagang organic lang, organic team ito. So malaking difference yung may five imports and an organic team like ours."
To reinforce the Elasto Painters in the week-long competition are naturalized player Ange Kouame and veteran big man Nick Evans.
The entire Rain or Shine team, including veteran Gabe Norwood who cut short his US vacation, will be going to the Jones Cup where the Elasto Painters will play eight games in nine days.
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Guiao also took the opportunity to thank Rain or Shine co-team owners Raymund Yu and Terry Que for not hesitating to take the offer made by the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) through the PBA for the team to take part in the Jones Cup.
"Nagpapasalamat tayo kina Boss Terry and Boss Raymund dahil kahit kelan hindi nagkait ng players or talent ang mga yan pagdating sa pagpapahiram sa national team, hindi nagda-dalawang isip ang mga yan," said the Rain or Shine mentor, recalling the same gesture the two PBA owners did when he also coached the Gilas Pilipinas team in the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia.(RG)
