Rain or Shine was once again pushed to the limit, but like how the team has learned how to rise from adversity, the Elasto Painters dealed with the challenge using the toughness they have been known for.
The Elasto Painters squandered a 25-point lead against Barako Bull and went tooth-and-nail in overtime, before scoring a 134-132 double-overtime victory book the second seat in the PBA Governors’ Cup semi-final.
It was the seventh straight semi-final appearance for the Elasto Painters, an active streak that its top gun Paul Lee considers as a habit which typified the team’s won’t-back-down-from-anyone attitude.
“At least nandun. Napakita ulit. Yung poise namin sa dulo, hindi kami nag give up basta-basta. Gusto ni coach Yeng (Guiao) yun,” Lee, who finished with 23 points, 8 rebounds, and 7 assists, said.
“Nakita naman natin kung gaanong ka dangerous ang Barako. Alam naman nating babalik at babalik sila. Buti na lang hindi kami nagrelax hanggang huli.”
Lee even preferred the type of ending personally, as it only adds to Rain or Shine’s mental toughness heading into the deeper stages of the playoffs.
“Mas napaganda pa na nag double-overtime kasi kapag hindi baka magrelax kami sa next levels. Mas gusto ko nanalo kami ng ganyan,” he said.
Rain or Shine has fallen short of winning a championship in three out of the last five conferences, but nothing stops the crew from daring the odds time and again.
For Lee, it has become a habit the entire team enjoys — a habit learned from all the struggles in the past.
“Yun naman ang goal namin every conference kaya siguro naging habit na lang ng buong team at masaya si coach sa nangyayari.”
