FOR coach Yeng Guiao, Rain or Shine’s PBA Governors’ Cup match against Barangay Ginebra was over just 12 minutes into the game at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium Friday night.
With the Kings shooting a sizzling hot 72 percent from three point range and 68 percent overall from the field, the Elasto Painters found themselves way behind, 40-19, by the end of the first quarter.
READ: Jordan Murphy impressive in Ginebra's vengeful blowout of RoS
Guiao knew it right there and then Rain or Shine was finished.
“We lost the game in the first quarter. Doon pa lang downhill na yung trajectory namin,” said the veteran champion coach.
The Kings went on and cruised from there, clobbering the Elasto Painters, 129-111, to give their playoff hopes alive a huge kick by improving to 3-4 overall in the Group B standings.
Rain or Shine saw its four-game winning streak come to an end and fell to a 4-3 record for second place in its group.
Guiao’s worst fear coming into the game, indeed came true.
"Ito yung sabi ko na I was a little bit worried about before the game na ako kaya ang kundisyon namin, if we do enough during the break to keep ourselves in good shape or at least in the proper frame of mind," he said.
"Sa tingin ko kasi medyo mental din ito."
Rain or Shine did start out flat, shooting 1-of-7 from three-point territory and was 40 percent from the field overall during that first quarter storm by Ginebra.
The Elasto Painters fell by as many as 33 points in the second period.
"We fell into that mental trap. We started out badly and we couldn't recover from there," admitted Guiao.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
