WITHOUT taking anything away from foreign guest team Eastern, Rain or Shine coach Yeng Guiao is convinced the pro league’s present visitor is different from Bay Area.
“Palagay ko alam naman natin na mas malalim iyong bench ng Bay Area. Mas malaki iyong import nila tapos mayroon silang pamalit na import na maliit na guwardya na unstoppable din,” Guiao said.
“Mas malaki talaga problema mo doon sa Bay Area,” he added.
Guiao spoke after the Elasto Painters ripped Eastern 99-81 last Wednesday night for their first win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
The victory served as big bounce back for Rain or Shine’s 111-121 loss to Meralco in their conference debut last Sunday to improve to 1-1.
Import Deon Thompson scattered 21 points and hauled down 15 rebounds for the Painters while Leonard Santillan added 18 markers.
Keith Datu and Caelan Tiongson also had 10 points each for Rain or Shine.
Guiao gave his reinforcement a passing grade in his initial foray in Asia’s pioneering pro league.
“We are happy with the way he performed. He was late coming in,” Guiao said. “We had a change of import. Wala pa siyang isang lingo.
“He changes the chemistry for the better.”
Eastern absorbed its first defeat of the mid-season tilt after a 2-0 start, counting a 117-106 triumph over Converge last Nov. 29.
Import Cameron Clark had 30 points and 12 boards for Eastern, but the Hong Kong-based side badly missed the presence of Glen Yang after the guard missed out due to passport issues.
Hayden Blankley also struggled for the visitors, going on a woeful 1-for-15 shooting from the field to finish with only seven points, although he did grab 11 caroms.
“Malaking bagay na wala iyong primary guard nila, si Glen Yang. Suwerte rin kami na hindi siya nakapaglaro. Malaking bagay na… siguro iyong mga gwardya nila, hindi rin eksperiyensyado katulad ni Glen Yang,” Guiao said. “Tapos, medyo napagod din siguro si Cameron Clark. Ang ganda ng first three quarters niya, pero fourth quarter, medyo napagod na rin siya.
“Part din iyon ng gusto naming mangyari na alam namin, iyong burden ng offense nasa kaniya so kailangan lang pahirapan mo nang pahirapan baka pagdating ng fourth, napagod nga. Bumaba iyong percentage. Iyon ang nangyari.”
The Dragons were bannered by prolific reinforcements Myles Powell and Andrew Nicholson in the same edition of the meet last year.
Bay Area fell to Ginebra in a historic Game 7 at the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan.
While saying there’s a whale of difference between the Dragons and Eastern, Guiao insisted the new foreign quint should not be taken lightly.
“At least ito, although nanalo na sila ng dalawa, alam mo na kapag nakalaban mo sila medyo mas parehas pa rin iyong laban,” he said.
“Pero malakas pa rin sila. 2-0 kaagad sila. Good start kaagad.”
