(PBA image)
Everything resets to zero on Monday night as Rain or Shine Elasto Painters and Meralco Bolts collide in a true do-or-die quarterfinal showdown in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
What was once a twice-to-beat cushion for Rain or Shine has now been wiped away, courtesy of Meralco’s emphatic 96-79 response that forced a knockout duel with a semifinals berth on the line. Tip-off for the lone game on the schedule is set at 7:30 p.m., with the winner earning the right to face TNT Tropang 5G in the Last Four.
Despite the lopsided loss, Elasto Painters coach Yeng Guiao remains confident the incentive served its purpose. The extra life, he said, allowed his squad room for a misstep — and more importantly, a chance to regroup.
Guiao believes the painful defeat can still fuel a turnaround after a night where almost nothing went right. Rain or Shine struggled mightily from deep, converting just 4 of 33 attempts from three-point range and shooting a dismal 26-of-77 overall. Even a second-half rally that cut the deficit to 12 proved too little, too late.
“Parang may reason naman bakit kami nagka-twice-to-beat,” Guiao said, pointing to their strong elimination-round finish. He added that the challenge now is to lean on what brought them there in the first place and correct the breakdowns that led to Saturday’s collapse.
For Meralco, momentum is firmly on their side. The Bolts dictated the tone early, built a lead that ballooned to as many as 34, and never allowed Rain or Shine to find sustained rhythm. Their defense-first identity was on full display, anchored by the relentless efforts of Chris Newsome, Cliff Hodge, and Jansen Rios.
Rios, in particular, provided what Guiao described as a “magic bonus,” delivering impact plays on both ends and energizing a Bolts squad that now senses a rare opportunity. After erasing the disadvantage, Meralco enters Monday’s game with nothing held back — only a single objective in mind.
Win, and the road continues. Lose, and the season ends at center court.
