Staying on brand, Painters leave Fuel Masters gasping
Rain or Shine has developed a certain kind of basketball that has yielded pleasant results early in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
So against an enemy hell-bent on ending its horrendous slide, the club only had to keep things simple on Tuesday night: Stay on brand.
“We kept the pace going,” coach Yeng Guiao said shortly after the ElastoPainters played splendid basketball on both ends of the court at Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila to outlast—and outclass—Phoenix, 122-107.
The victory moved the club to 5-1 (win-loss) atop Group B play.
“That’s our natural pace,” Guiao added. “The guys who come off the bench, as soon as they take the court, they go at one speed. I feel Phoenix kept up for three quarters, but they simply faded in the fourth. We were able to control our speed and pace, and I think those were big parts of it.”
The ElastoPainters’ tempo allowed eight players to finish with twin-digit scores. Starring in the effort were import Aaron Fuller and Adrian Nocum, who had 16 points each, and eventual Player of the Game Gian Mamuyac, who chipped in 14, ultimately helping the squad rebound from a stinging first loss to San Miguel last week.
“(It all) starts with our mentality as a team. As coach Yeng would always say, whoever gets into the game should be willing to do the job and ready to step up,” said Mamuyac, who also had three steals in the triumph.
“Overall, the efforts just added up and they (Fuel Masters) just sputtered in the end.” he added.
Import Brandone Francis had 31 points to lead Phoenix, while Jason Perkins chipped in 22 points and 10 rebounds, their efforts going down the drain as the Fuel Masters stayed winless through six meetings.
Rain or Shine led Phoenix just by two, 87-85, going into the payoff period until the trio cranked things up and broke the game wide open. The ElastoPainers led by 19 late in the final frame.
The tense, first three quarters could put any coach on the edge. But not Guiao, who found value in that kind of adversity as the team navigates the tailend of the elimination phase.
“Actually, I look at it as a good test for us because a lot of the games are going to go down in the last three, four, five minutes, and you have to know how to handle those last five minutes,” he said.
“That’s how it was against San Miguel. We just came back in the last three, four minutes. So to me, I look at it as a good thing,” he added.
Guiao was also going to take the breakaway for the show of dominance it truly was.
“This game, we were able to put some distance in between, and I think that’s a good sign that [we’re also] maturing, making the right decisions in the endgame, executing, making stops.”
But the mercurial mentor is holding off his optimism for the meantime.
“I feel like I’m close to believing we’re a contender. But we’re not convinced just yet. Let’s see. I’ll start believing when we’re able to get two against Ginebra. But for now, I’m not yet convinced,” he said.
