FACING San Miguel will, in no way, be an easy task for Rain or Shine, head coach Yeng Guiao acknowledged.
What he promises though is that the team will try its very best to make San Miguel earn that finals seat in the PBA 48th Season Philippine Cup.
Rain or Shine booked a trip to the semifinals for the first time in five years after beating TNT, 110-109, on Wednesday in a deciding Game Three at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
READ Rain or Shine gatecrashes Final Four by turning back TNT comeback
That forged a best-of-seven duel in the Final Four against San Miguel beginning on Friday, where Guiao didn't need to hard-sell the underdog tag.
“We are playing as underdogs. We know that,” Guiao said. “San Miguel pa, the best team in the conference ang kalaban mo. I don’t think there is any pressure on us as we play the seven-game series. We will just play as hard as we can. ‘Yun lang ang gagawin namin.”
Guiao said no one in the league can match up with San Miguel’s deep rotation led by June Mar Fajardo and CJ Perez, not even Rain or Shine’s young core that had six players in double figures on Wednesday in their win over TNT.
However, Guiao also believes the pressure will be on San Miguel, the top-seed team which was forced into a knockout quarterfinal game against Terrafirma before ousting the Dyip, 110-91, on Wednesday.
“Tatlong grupo ‘yung first five ng San Miguel,” said Guiao. “Wala namang team na may kakayanang sabayan ang San Miguel. Lalaban lang. Tignan lang hanggang saan makarating. Wala kaming pantapat kay June Mar. Wala kaming pantapat kay CJ, kila Terrence.”
“Pero, pahihirapan naman sila. Ganun lang magagawa namin. Pahihirapan namin sila. Kung manalo, manalo. Kung matalo, kailangan matalo ka na nakataas ang noo mo after the game,” said Guiao.
“We want San Miguel to feel all the pressure dahil wala namang pressure sa amin. Panalo na kami. Champion na kami sa isip namin,” said Guiao.
Valuable experience for RoS youngsters
Regardless of the result, Guiao said this playoff run will only improve the team and their young players in the long run.
“Kahit anong mangyari, panalo na kami dito. Walang mawawala sa amin. Madadagdagan pa ang kaalaman namin,” said Guiao.
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