Rain or Shine will represent the PBA in the 2023 William Jones Cup, which is set to take place from Aug. 12-20 in Taipei, Taiwan.
The league received an invitation to participate in this prestigious tournament, which is returning after a three-year hiatus due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial stated that the PBA Board, led by chairman Ricky Vargas, has already approved the Elasto Painters’ participation in the event.
Marcial is convinced that ROS has what it takes to compete against some of the best teams from the Asia and Middle East regions.
The timing couldn’t be more perfect for the Raymond Yu and Terry Que-owned franchise, as it is also looking to stay sharp during the league’s two-month break to accommodate the staging of the FIBA Basketball World Cup 2023.
“We are not only honored to represent the PBA but also the country in the Jones Cup. The high-level competition will help us better prepare for the upcoming PBA season. We will give it our best shot and hope to bring honor to the country,” said ROS Board Governor and team manager Atty. Mert Mondragon.
(C) PBA Images
This international-level competition should also bode well for the development of the young core of head coach Yeng Guiao’s team, which includes players like Rey Nambatac, Anton Asistio, Gian Mamuyac, Santi Santillan, Shaun Ildefonso, and Andrei Caracut.
The Elasto Painters will be reinforced by Angelo Kouame.
The responsibility of continuing the success of Filipino teams in the regional cagefest now falls on Rain or Shine’s shoulders, with the Philippines having already won a total of six titles in past editions of the tournament.
The country first won the Jones Cup title in 1981 with the Northern Cement team and then later in 1985, playing as San Miguel Beer. The Philippine Centennial team also bagged the crown in 1998 before Gilas Pilipinas won it again in 2012.
Mighty Sports delivered the country’s last two titles, first in 2016 and then again in 2019 when Charles Tiu mentored the squad, sweeping the tournament with a perfect 8-0 record.
