MANILA, Philippines — Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao remains optimistic that persistent playoff contention and steady consistency will eventually yield a championship breakthrough for his squad.
As the Elasto Painters gear up for another postseason run, they are marking their eighth consecutive quarterfinals appearance over the last eight conferences. While this impressive streak features five semifinal showings, the franchise has not advanced to the finals since capturing its last PBA title in 2016.
Emphasizing a resilient mindset, Guiao noted that staying competitive is key to eventually breaking through the barrier.
“Ang (inisiip) lang namin just keep showing up dyan ka lang parati baka balang araw kapag parati kang nandyan baka bigla kang swertehin. Ganoon yung attitude namin,” Guiao said.
The veteran mentor views the postseason journey as an essential developmental process that strengthens the team regardless of the immediate outcome.
“Proseso iyan baka hindi natin alam. Baka ito na. Tuwing nakakarating ka naman ng playoffs whether you win or lose you come out better,” he stated, adding, “Lumalawak yung kaalaman mo, experience mo. May natututo na ka mga leksyon. So, whatever happens, we will come out better. Hindi mo alam, baka matsambahan mo ngayon, baka matiyempuhan mo. Hindi natin alam.”
Looking ahead, Guiao and his squad are keeping their focus sharp as they close out the elimination round and brace for tough competition in the next phase.
“We have two more games. We’re just looking to get the best finish kung ano yung kaya namin. Kung kaya na may panalo pa yung dalawang laro, susubukan namin,” Guiao explained.
“Kung hindi naman, wala ka naman mapili dun sa kabila. Iyong apat na team naman na papasok dun, kahit kanino ka matapat, mabigat. So, gagamitin lang namin mga laro namin para maihanda namin sarili namin para sa next round,” he concluded.