Rumors about the desire of several of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters’ key players to leave the team have yet to be confirmed. But for head coach Caloy Garcia, he has a solution if ever his players’ qualms were true.
“Mahirap naman i-trade yung player na ‘di mo naman makukuha yung gusto mo rin. So I just told them that the only way you can be traded is if you play good, because if you play good you get something na maganda kapalit,” the second-year tactician said.
Aside from playing well, of course, the players must handle their issues in a professional manner.
“Sabi ko nga sa kanila we just have to be professional about it and put the effort,” said the youthful coach.
“Because ang nagbabayad naman talaga sa salary nila is yung owners and that’s the only way that we can repay them.”
Garcia’s messages seem to have been absorbed by his players — namely Beau Belga, Raymond Almazan, and Jericho Cruz, as they had a hand in Rain or Shine’s 90-84 victory over the Meralco Bolts, Friday evening at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Belga finished with 13 points and 13 rebounds; Almazan produced six markers and seven rebounds. Cruz — who has just recovered from an MCL injury — had two points, two caroms, and two steals in 17 minutes.
“I’m so happy that they came out today and played hard,” lauded Garcia.
Ever since the rumors came out, almost everything has become uncertain in the 12-year-old franchise. Whether one of the three, two of them, or even all of the players would be dealt still remains a mystery.
But for Garcia — who is now in his second year as the Elasto Painters’ head bench strategist after coach Yeng Guiao jumped ship to the NLEX Road Warriors — all that the team can do, for now, is to handle things in a civil manner and play through it.
“We just have to be professional about it. If they come in and play hard, they get to play,” he said. “Sa’kin lang, [we] just have to think more of the team.
“Kung maganda naman ang samahan namin, maganda rin yung kalalabasan.”
