ANTIPOLO – Yeng Guiao wouldn’t have minded if Converge qualified for the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals instead of his own team.
Rain or Shine made it through by beating the FiberXers in their do-or-die quarterfinal Game 3, but the champion mentor would still feel as proud had the result turned out differently since they’re fighting the same battle.
Not necessarily because of his ‘kabalen’ ties with the franchise, but because they are among the few independent teams competing in the league.
“Ako, kung natalo kami, OK lang na sila ang pumasok kasi they represent the independent teams eh,” the outspoken coach said just before the postgame presser of their 112-103 victory at the Ynares Center here Sunday.
Guiao himself has long been supportive of independent ball clubs in the PBA and that’s basically become an added push for Rain or Shine’s playoff campaigns ever since he came back to the team during the 2022-23 season.
“I’m always cheering for the independent teams pagdating sa ganito, kasi independent team din kami,” he was quoted as saying back in January of last year. “Alam namin gaano kahirap makarating dun sa semifinals eh.”
That’s why Guiao always roots for the other ‘indies’ whenever they advance, although he would have preferred it more for the Elasto Painters and Converge, for instance, to play against one another deeper into the playoffs.
“Nag-uusap nga kami, sana sa Finals tayo nagkita o sa semifinals man lang. ‘Yun nga ‘yung usapan namin, masyado kaming maaga nagkita,” he said.
For now, Rain or Shine will be carrying the flag for the league’s minority as they take on no. 2 seed TNT in a best-of-7 showdown in the semis.
“It’s also a testimony to the progress of the team in general, to be in the semifinals for three consecutive conferences,” Guiao, 65, offered.
“For an independent team, to be able to do that, it indicates we have some consistency, at least in performing as a team. You hang around long enough, maybe you’ll make the Finals.”
He believes, too, that they will have the support of their fellow independent teams — the same way they do for them whenever they play and succeed.
“We will cheer for each other. Kung sila ang pumasok, we will cheer for them in the long-term or in the semifinals or even in the Finals,” Guiao said.
“I think it’s the same thing, na pumasok kami ng semis, I think they’ll be rooting for us also. Kasi ‘yun din ang gagawin namin ‘pag sila naman ang pumasok.”
