he core of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters will be the one sent by the PBA for the 2018 Asian Games in Indonesia this August.
As per Barangay Ginebra San Miguel team governor Alfrancis Chua, the board has agreed prior to the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals that the top-seeded team after the eliminations will be the ones sent to the meet.
Rain or Shine finished the eliminastions as the number one team with a 9-2 card.
“Sabi ko kung sino na lang ang number one bago mag-semis, so napili namin ay Rain or Shine,” said the SMC sports director during the 2018 Commissioner’s Cup pre-Finals presser, Tuesday at Sambokojin in Eastwood, Quezon City.
Initially, the board have agreed that they will be sending the TNT KaTropa core for the Asiad, but FIBA-handed bans being faced by its’ main pieces in Terrence Romeo, Troy Rosario, Jayson Castro, and Roger Pogoy have caused trouble. In addition, Jericho Cruz has been hobbled by an injury.
Chua bared that they had actually been offered to field in the San Miguel Beermen for the Asiad that will start on August 18, but since SMB will be playing in the Finals presumably until August, the team might not fully focus on the tilt.
“It should be TNT, kaso ang problema nagkagulo-gulo, suspended, so nag-decide kami, nag-tanong sila kung pwedneng SMB,” said Chua. ”
“Nag-usap kami, teka muna medyo pagod na rin, ipasa natin sa number one.
“Noong unang plano, sinabi na hindi kami sasali sa Asian Games… We’re not gonna join the Asian Games. Biglang sinabi na sasali kaya tulong-tulong na lang ang mga governors’ kung paano maka-put up ng team,” he added.
The decision will be formalized on Thursday, as the board will convene in the league’s office in Eastwood.
