Painters try to ease pain of Guiao's defeat with Game 3 win

Game One: Rain or Shine 105, Alaska 97

Game Two: Rain or Shine 105, Alaska 103

Game Wednesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

7 p.m. – Alaska vs Rain or Shine

MANILA, Philippines – Rain or Shine is expected to rally behind coach Yeng Guiao – unsuccessful in his congressional reelection bid – as the Elasto Painters try to tighten the noose on the Alaska Milk Aces in Game Four of their Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup title showdown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

Accepting his sad poll fate, Guiao was back in the Rain or Shine practice Tuesday morning.

It was not openly discussed or talked about by the Elasto Painters. But needless to say, they don’t want their coach to suffer a double-whammy.

The E-Painters could well be extra-motivated as they go for a pivotal 3-0 lead versus the Aces at the resumption of their best-of-five championship series at 7 p.m. Wednesday night at the Big Dome.

“Okay lang yon (The poll defeat is just okay with me). There are other things that I have to attend to, things that I have neglected. Maghahanap-buhay muna ako. There’s my coaching,” said Guiao.

“Personally, baka makaganda pa (the loss might be better for me). I’ll be able to focus on the other things I do like coaching,” he added.

Absent in their previous practices, Guiao personally handled their preparation for Game Three versus the embattled Aces.

“Games are getting tough. In Game One, we beat them by eight. In Game Two, it’s just by a basket. Game Three can boil down to last possession. I don’t discount that possibility,” said Guiao.

“I’m sure Alaska knows that if they go down 0-3, that could be the series for them. I don’t know if they could repeat what San Miguel did against them,” Guiao added.

Dating back to their crushing loss to San Miguel in the Philippine Cup Finals, the Aces have lost all of their last six games in title playoff.

The E-Painters, meanwhile, have been on a hot rampage from the elimination round, dropping only one of nine games with import Pierre Henderson-Niles.

Guiao, however, won’t count Alaska out yet.

“They know they’re a good team, they know they can comeback. We all know that. They’re forcing us to make tough decisions,” said Guiao.

“They played a lot better defense (in Game Two) than in Game One. Their locals contributed to their scoring (Sunday night) even as Calvin Abueva hasn’t played his usual game,” Guiao added.

Alaska coach Alex Compton thinks they have got what it takes to salvage this series.

“Our general team character is one of a great resolve. We’ve got to go out and earn it,” he said. “We’ve got to earn it with a lot more precision, that’s for sure.”