ON a two-game skid, Rain or Shine is in no mood to go on a holiday break.
No thanks to a close 95-92 loss to TNT before the PBA Governors' Cup takes a nine-day rest, the Elasto Painters will continue to grind before and after the New Year in the hope of keeping in playing form once action in the season-ending meet resumes on Jan. 5.
The losing streak coupled by the merrymaking at this time of the season, are foremost concerns for Gavina that he didn't want his team to spend the holiday by taking things easy.
"There's no break for me. We're on a two-game losing streak. But I did tell our guys that we have practice the next two days and we got a short little break," said Gavina.
"But I told them don't come back zero as we're going up against a hungry NLEX team coming off a loss also."
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The Elasto Painters return on Jan. 6 against a Road Warriors side that is also raring to bounce back after suffering its first loss of the conference against Phoenix, 102-93, on Christmas Day.
Gavina describes the coming game against NLEX as a 'test of will,'
"It's gonna really come down as to who kept themselves in better shape, more sharp after the break," he said.
The situation could have been a little different for Rain or Shine (2-3) had it completed its mighty endgame comeback against the Tropang Giga after trailing by as many as 13 early in the fourth quarter.
Import Henry Walker missed an open, potential game-winning three-pointer in the final four seconds, before Poy Erram secured the rebound, was fouled by Beau Belga, and then hit the insurance free throws that allowed TNT to escape with the win.
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"We're one possession away from pulling off a big upset against a really good team in TNT," said Gavina.
To be fair to his team, the Rain or Shine coach did like the effort and will to rally back and make a game out of it in the end.
"We tried to look at the positives of bringing the defending (Philippine Cup) champions down to just one shot, one possession," said Gavina.
"I give our guys a great deal of credit for battling and competing." (RG)
