RAIN or Shine will represent the PBA in the 2023 William Jones Cup set on Aug. 12-20 in Taipei, Taiwan.
The league has received an invitation to join the prestigious tournament, which is back after a three-year lull due to the pandemic.
PBA Commissioner Willie Marcial said the PBA Board, through chairman Ricky Vargas, has approved the participation of the Painters in the tournament.
Marcial is convinced the team has what it takes to compete against some of the best squads from Asia and the Middle East.
The timing couldn’t have been more perfect for the Raymond Yu and Terry Que-owned franchise, which is also looking to stay sharp while the league is on a two-month break to give way for the staging of the 2023 FIBA World Cup in the country.
“We are honored not just to represent the PBA, but also the country in the Jones Cup. The high-level competition will also help us to better prepare for the coming PBA season. We will give it our best shot and hope to bring honor to the country,” said ROS Board Governor and team manager Atty. Mert Mondragon.
The international level competition should do well for the development of the young core of coach Yeng Guiao, among them Rey Nambatac, Anton Asistio, Gian Mamuyac, Leonard Santillan, Shaun Ildefonso and Andrei Caracut.
The task of continuing the success of Filipino teams in the regional event now falls on Rain or Shine, with the Philippines having won six times in the tournament.
The country first won the Jones Cup title in 1981 with the Northern Cement team and again in 1985 with the San Miguel Beer team.
The Philippine Centennial team also bagged the crown in 1998 before Gilas Pilipinas won it anew in 2012.
Mighty Sports delivered the country’s last two titles, first in 2016 and in 2019 when the Charles Tiu-mentored squad swept the tournament with a perfect 8-0 record.
