Guiao sees long break as 'reset' for struggling ROS

Source: The Manila times
Author: Richard Dy

MANILA, Philippines: Yeng Guiao sees the two-week tournament break as an opportunity to reassess Rain or Shine's performance during its first five games in the Season 48 PBA Philippine Cup.

The Elasto Painters ended their four-game losing skid to start the tournament by beating the injury-riddled Phoenix Fuel Masters on Sunday, 100-85.

Explosive guard Adrian Nocum fired 28 points, his second highest scoring effort in his young PBA career, while hulking big man Beau Belga added 21 in ROS' breakthrough win this conference.

At 1-4, Guiao knows they are far from where they want to be, considering their goal is to clinch a playoff spot in the all-Filipino conference.

No wonder, Guiao sees the long break as timely as they talk to the players and plot their next move when the team returns to action against winless Converge on April 3.

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"We have a long break and we look at it as a time for a reset, bring this team together, look at what transpired the last five games. We have time to do that since we have a long break," said Guiao after Sunday's victory.

With ROS rookie big man Keith Datu out for six weeks due to an MCL sprain on his knee, joining fellow freshman Luis Villegas, who has yet to see action, Guiao is expecting the rest of his players to chip in as they make that playoff run in their last seven games in the elims.

"We need guys to really step up, especially since we lost Rey Nambatac (to the trade). He was one of our top scorers. Good thing Adrian had a big game," he added.

Nocum accounted for five of Rain or Shine's 13 triples made against Phoenix, which missed the services of veteran forward Jason Perkins, Raul Soyud and Tyler Tio, all out due to injuries.

"Coach Yeng always tells me in practice to work on my shooting from the outside because I'll have a difficult time getting my game if I only concentrate on penetrating to the basket. So that's what I did. When the defense closes out, I drive to the basket, but when I get open, I take the three," shared Nocum, whom the team signed to a two-year deal last November after being selected in the second round (no. 24 overall) in the 2023 PBA Draft.