TNT may have hastened the exit of Rain or Shine in the PBA Governors Cup semifinals, but coach Chot Reyes sees the Elasto Painters as a force to reckon with in the not-so distant future.
Describing the Elasto Painters as loaded and deep, Reyes said he won’t be surprised seeing the franchise becoming a top title contender in the coming conferences.
“Imagine that team in just a year, next year or even later this year, the kind of pieces that they have, they’re deep in every position, they have a very cohesive game plan, they were very clear on what they want to do. They have a very clear identity and that’s going to be a real load,” said the former Gilas Pilipinas mentor in heaping praises to Rain or Shine.
The Tropang Giga came away with a 113-95 win over the Elasto Painters in Game 5 Friday night, cutting short the best-of-seven series, 4-1, to earn a return trip back to the finals.
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Quick and easy as it may, but Rain or Shine gave TNT all it could handle.
“I want to give credit to the other team. They made me work for everything. It was a tough battle,” said Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson of the Elasto Painters.
Rain or Shine may have fallen short of making the finals, yet Reyes sees the franchise blossoming to a marquee team with a few more seasoning.
“Coach Yeng, you know how unpredictable he is as a coach, and he has just the perfect compliment now in his hands,” said the TNT mentor. “They’re going to be a load, they’re going to be tough.”
Not lost on Reyes was Rain or Shine emerging as the no. 1 seeded team in Group B in a bracket that has perenmial contenders Barangay Ginebra, San Miguel, and Magnolia.
The Elasto Painters of course, were the ones who booted out the Hotshots in the quarterfinals after beating them in the sudden-death Game 5 of their series.
“It was not an accident that they topped that other group. They were the best team in that other group,” noted Reyes.
“They’re going to be a load in the very near future.”
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