It has definitely been a huge blow to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters knowing that they won’t have leader Beau Belga in the next two to three weeks due to plantar fasciitis in his left foot.
But it looks like others are already willing to step up to the plate.
Though Rain or Shine lost to the Meralco Bolts on Sunday – marking their second defeat in a row and narrowing their chances for the 2018 Governors’ Cup playoffs – Norbert Torres provided a silver lining.
The 6-foot-6 forward-center readily manned the middle that is Belga’s usual spot on the floor, and he produced 16 points on an excellent 6-of-9 shooting from the floor alongside six rebounds.
“Just stepping out cause Beau maybe out for the next few games or maybe even the conference, so I have that sense of urgency to step up,” said the former De La Salle Green Archer.
Even Belga lauded the efforts made by the 28-year-old.
“Yun ang kailangan namin. Kailangan namin ng mga players na mag-step up sa absence ng iba. And nasa pwesto kami na pwede kami ma-eliminate so everybody needs to step up,” he said.
The Elasto Painters are in a precarious spot in the playoff race, as they are at 2-6 after the loss to the Bolts. But for Torres, this is now the time they have to stay composed.
Rain or Shine has three more games left to save their campaign.
“I think we just need to stay focused,” said the Fil-Canadian. “Stay together as a team all four quarters ’cause we ended up losing in the fourth.
“We just need to stay focused all throughout the game.”
