YENG Guiao acknowledged the huge role Aaron Fuller played for Rain or Shine to reach the semifinals of the PBA Governors' Cup.
The veteran coach complimented the import for helping the Elasto Painters finished as the top seeded team in its group during the eliminations, and for bravely overcoming an eye injury in Game 2 and leading the team past the Magnolia Hotshots in an emotional best-of-five quarterfinals that went the full route.
With Fuller as anchor of Rain or Shine at the frontcourt, the team recovered from a shaky start and turned on the heat when it mattered, scoring a 113-103 win Saturday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo to arrange a semis date with fellow top seed TNT Tropang Giga.
All of it wouldn't be possible if not for Fuller, according to Guiao.
"Aaron's value is simple. We will not be here if not for Aaron. He carried us on his broad shoulders," said Guiao of his soft-spoken import.
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Fuller, 34, finished with 26 points on 11-of-17 field goal shooting, nine rebounds, and three assists. He scored on a getaway for an easy bucket with 44 seconds to go that finally decided the game, 109-101.
"Magnolia's defense was just clamping down on him, double teamed, tripled teamed, sometimes the whole team is around him, and sometimes he's frustrated because he doesn't get the foul he feels he should get," said Guiao of the import, who first played under him while he's still with NLEX during the 2017 Governors Cup.
"But Aaron kept his composure, he held his emotions under checked."
The Rain or Shine import describes Fuller as a silent person but commands the respect of his teammates.
"He's a silent leader, doesn't talk much, but his action speaks for themselves. He just works hard," said Guiao.
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And again, Guiao emphasized the value of Fuller with the Elasto Painters.
"We will not be here if not for Aaron," he said.
Rain or Shine is in the semis for the second straight conference.(RG)
