AFTER two tough matches overseas, Rain or Shine gets to recharge for a little over a week before resuming its bid to climb out of the cellar in the PBA Governors Cup.
The Painters split their matches in Dubai, edging GlobalPort, 119-112, in a shootout to notch its first win of the conference before a morale-deflating 93-81 defeat to Barangay Ginebra the next day.
The split wasn’t enough to move them out of the bottom of the standings, which they share with titleholder Star Hotshots and expansion squad Blackwater at 1-3.
The next match isn’t until Sunday against surprise league leader Barako Bull, and Fil-Am guard Gabe Norwood hopes the team can use the break to rest and sort out their game.
“It (back-to-back games) was taxing on the body, but we were in a situation to win the game. We just came up short,” Norwood told Spin.ph. “That’s on us.”
Wide-bodied import Wendell McKines played his best game so far in a Rain or Shine uniform, leading his team’s third-quarter rally that saw the Elasto Painters grab the lead, 63-60 after trailing by as many as 21 points.
But the former New Mexico State player was silenced late in the game by fit-again Japeth Aguilar, who had two defensive gems against McKines while also scoring nine points in the last period to seal Ginebra’s second win in five starts.
“Honestly, I think this (game against Ginebra) was the most fluid game for Wendell. Nothing was forced and we were all able to have opportunities to contribute, but again, we just need to be consistent through four quarters,” said Norwood.
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